Jonathan Bailey named People magazine’s 2025 Sexiest Man Alive
Something has changed for “Wicked” star Jonathan Bailey, something is not the same — he is People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2025.
The magazine's pick was announced Monday night on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Bailey takes the mantle from “The Office” and “Jack Ryan” star John Krasinski, who was the 2024 selection.
“It’s a huge honor,” Bailey, 37, told the magazine. “Obviously, I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd.”
Bailey had audiences swooning as Prince Fiyero in his 2024 big-screen debut in “Wicked,” the popular movie musical in which he proudly urges fellow students to join him in his shallowness. The second half arrives in theaters Nov. 21.
He dripped with charm as Lord Anthony Bridgerton on Netflix’s “Bridgerton,” and earned a 2024 Emmy nomination for his role in the Showtime series “Fellow Travelers.” Most recently, he starred in “Jurassic World Rebirth,” which came out in July.
Bailey told Fallon that the title was an “honor of a lifetime."
“I’m sort of thrilled that People magazine have invited someone in — bestowed this honor on someone who can really cherish the value of a sexy man," he said.
Bailey told People that he's known he wanted to be an actor since he was 5 years old and his grandmother took him to see a production of the musical “Oliver!” Within two years he had achieved that dream, performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
He's had plenty of stage credits since then, including starring in Shakespeare’s Richard II in London earlier this year.
Bailey, who has spoken openly about being a gay actor, founded The Shameless Fund, which helps to support LGBTQ+ organizations.
“I know the LGBT sector is under immense threat at the moment,” he said. “So it’s been amazing to meet people who have the expertise and see potential that I could have only dreamed of.”
The first Sexiest Man Alive was Mel Gibson in 1985. Other past recipients include Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John F. Kennedy Jr., David Beckham, Michael B. Jordan, John Legend, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Rudd, Pierce Brosnan and Patrick Dempsey.
Bailey, who will be the cover story in People's edition coming out Friday, had to stay tight-lipped about the news. But he admitted to the magazine that he couldn't keep it a complete secret — he shared the news with his dog, Benson, who will also be featured in the magazine.
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Kristin Chenoweth says backlash to Charlie Kirk comments ‘nearly broke’ her
Kristin Chenoweth has addressed the backlash she faced after commenting on the death of controversial activist Charlie Kirk.
“It nearly broke me, and that’s all I’m going to say,” she said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published on Monday. “You probably know my heart, so you probably know.”
The ” Wicked” star was one of the first celebrities to publicly share her sympathies on social media after the right-wing influencer was fatally shot during an appearance at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
“Didn’t always agree but appreciated some perspectives,” she wrote in an Instagram comment at the time, saying she was “so upset” about his shocking death. “What a heartbreak. His young family. I know where he is now. Heaven. But still.”
The remarks from Chenoweth — who’s known to be a prominent advocate of LGBTQ+ rights — caused an uproar among her fans, who took them as a show of solidarity for the polarizing Turning Points USA founder, known for having what many have viewed as racist or homophobic beliefs.
“It was tough on me, but I’m not going to answer any questions about it because I dealt with it,” she told THR.
The Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning Broadway veteran previously acknowledged the hurt and confusion her comments caused while promoting her latest musical, “The Queen of Versailles.”
“I saw what happened online with my own eyes, and I had a human moment of reflection,” she told NY1’s Frank DiLella in September, about a week after Kirk was shot. “Right then, I came to understand that my comment hurt some folks and that hurt me. … It’s no secret that I’m a Christian, that I’m a person with faith. It’s also no secret that I’m an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. And for some, that doesn’t go together. But for me, it always has, and it always will.”
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Adam Sandler will receive AARP's Movies for Grownups career achievement award, his second AARP prize
Adam Sandler will be the next recipient of AARP’s Movies for Grownups career achievement award, the group said Tuesday.
And maybe this time, the actor will wait for his signal.
When Sandler won the group's best actor prize in 2020 for “Uncut Gems,” he rushed to the stage too fast — before host Conan O’Brien had time to sing his praises. O’Brien made comic hay of the moment, sending the sheepish actor back to his seat with instructions to await “a signal."
From his “Saturday Night Live” roots to beloved comedies like “Billy Madison” (1995) and the cult classic “Happy Gilmore” (1996) to dramas like “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002) and his high-energy turn in “Uncut Gems” (2019), Sandler, 59, has displayed an ever-growing range.
This summer he reprised “Happy Gilmore” on Netflix and in November will appear alongside George Clooney in Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly.”
Winner of the 2023 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Sandler “is one of Hollywood’s most enduring and ever-evolving stars, whose talents resonate across generations,” AARP said in a statement on Tuesday.
Myechia Minter-Jordan, the group's CEO, called the actor “a Hollywood legend whose remarkable career has set a new standard for comedic storytelling, captivating audiences across generations.
“Adam’s enduring success, his ability to reinvent himself, inspire laughter, and move us through dramatic performances is a testament to the power of creativity at every age,” Minter-Jordan said.
AARP launched the Movies for Grownups initiative in 2002 to advocate for audiences over 50, fight ageism in Hollywood and promote movies “for grown-ups, by grown-ups.”
Actor Alan Cumming will host the ceremony in Beverly Hills on Jan. 10, to be broadcast by “Great Performances” on PBS in February.
From combined wire services
