Jonathan Bailey has been named People magazine’s 2025 Sexiest Man Alive, unveiling the cover live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday night. The British actor, 37, greeted the reveal with dry humor—calling the nod “the honor of a lifetime” while admitting he was “still giggling”—and said he’d only shared the secret with his dog ahead of the broadcast. The announcement marks the 40th year of the annual franchise.
The choice caps a two-year run that vaulted Bailey from leading man status on Bridgerton to a broader film and stage profile. He played Fiyero in last year’s Wicked and will reprise the role in the sequel, appeared in Jurassic World: Rebirth earlier this year, and earned a 2024 Primetime Emmy nomination for Fellow Travelers. During the Tonight Show reveal, he joked about getting the news while immersed in a serious Shakespeare turn in Richard II, underscoring the contrast between his theater commitments and the pop-culture crown.
Bailey’s selection is also a milestone: he is the first openly gay man to receive the title in the franchise’s four decades, a detail that resonated across entertainment circles as both a reflection of his star power and a marker of changing mainstream tastes. People’s accompanying profile spotlights his off-screen priorities, including founding The Shameless Fund to support LGBTQ+ organizations, and presents a portrait that couples marquee roles with a self-effacing public image. Last year’s honoree was John Krasinski, highlighting how the designation often tracks actors at inflection points in their careers.
