Lead
Jonathan Bailey, 37, has been named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2025, an announcement made Monday night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The British actor takes the title from John Krasinski, People’s 2024 selection. Bailey’s recent high-profile roles include Prince Fiyero in Wicked (2024) and Lord Anthony Bridgerton on Netflix, and he will appear on People’s cover in the magazine’s Friday edition. The selection highlights both his mainstream film visibility and a growing profile across stage and screen.
Key Takeaways
- People announced Bailey as its 2025 Sexiest Man Alive during Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show on Monday night.
- Bailey is 37 years old and succeeds John Krasinski, the 2024 honoree.
- His recent credits include Wicked (first part released 2024; second part due Nov. 21), Bridgerton (Netflix), and Jurassic World Rebirth (July release).
- Bailey earned a 2024 Emmy nomination for his role in the Showtime series Fellow Travelers.
- He began acting as a child, joined the Royal Shakespeare Company early in his career, and starred in Richard II in London earlier this year.
- Bailey is openly gay and founded The Shameless Fund to support LGBTQ+ organizations amid rising sector pressures.
- He shared the secret with his dog, Benson, who will appear in People’s feature alongside him.
Background
People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive issue has been published annually since 1985, when Mel Gibson was the first man to receive the title. Over the decades the list of recipients has included actors, athletes and public figures whose careers and public images matched the magazine’s mix of popularity and perceived charisma. The selection is both a cultural moment and a promotional vehicle: it draws attention to the winner’s current projects while reinforcing People’s role in celebrity-focused journalism.
Bailey’s trajectory reflects a cross-platform career common among contemporary stars: stage work, prestige television and big-budget franchise films. He has long roots in theatre—he has performed Shakespeare and appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company—and in recent years he has transformed that theatre credibility into mainstream film and streaming roles. As an openly gay actor who created The Shameless Fund, Bailey sits at the intersection of celebrity culture and advocacy, a position that shapes how media and audiences interpret his selection.
Main Event
The announcement was revealed on national television Monday night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where People’s selection was confirmed publicly. Bailey responded to the honor in interviews, calling it “a huge honor” and describing the recognition as both flattering and a little absurd. The People cover package, published Friday, includes a photo shoot that features Bailey and his dog Benson and profiles his recent career milestones and philanthropic work.
Bailey’s highest-profile recent role came as Prince Fiyero in the 2024 cinematic adaptation of Wicked, a performance that introduced him to a larger global audience; the film’s second part is scheduled to open on Nov. 21. Simultaneously, his portrayal of Lord Anthony Bridgerton on Netflix and his Emmy-nominated turn in Fellow Travelers have kept him visible across different audience segments. In July he also appeared in Jurassic World Rebirth, marking participation in a major franchise release the same year.
Beyond box-office and streaming metrics, People’s selection highlights Bailey’s public persona: theatre-trained, polished in romantic lead roles, and publicly engaged in LGBTQ+ causes. He founded The Shameless Fund to support community organizations at a time when many such groups face legal and political pressures, and he has spoken about the importance of leveraging his platform to help those organizations. The People feature frames the Sexiest Man Alive title both as cultural recognition and as an opportunity to amplify the causes and projects he champions.
Analysis & Implications
People’s choice carries immediate promotional value: magazine cover stories traditionally boost visibility for the winner’s current and upcoming projects. For Bailey, that likely translates into increased attention for Wicked’s second part (Nov. 21), potential streaming bumps for Bridgerton seasons in which he appears, and renewed interest in his Emmy-nominated performance in Fellow Travelers. Publicity from the cover can also expand casting and endorsement opportunities in the months that follow.
There is a symbolic dimension as well. Choosing an openly gay actor who is actively funding LGBTQ+ causes signals a broader editorial framing by People that blends conventional celebrity glamour with socially minded narratives. That framing may influence how audiences and industry stakeholders discuss representation and visibility, particularly in industries where queer actors have sometimes faced constrained roles or typecasting.
On the business side, celebrity cover stories remain a measurable driver of attention across social and traditional media; publishers and PR teams factor those spikes into release strategies for films and series. For Bailey’s team and his collaborators, the timing—between summer franchise releases and the November Wicked installment—creates a concentrated publicity window that could help international box-office, streaming viewership, and awards-season momentum.
Comparison & Data
| Notable Past Recipients | Context |
|---|---|
| Mel Gibson | First Sexiest Man Alive, 1985 |
| Brad Pitt | High-profile film star often cited for box-office draws |
| George Clooney | Longtime magazine favorite for charisma and profile |
| David Beckham | Sporting celebrity with global brand appeal |
| Michael B. Jordan | Actor blending mainstream roles and critical acclaim |
The table lists a sample of notable recipients to illustrate the range of figures People has chosen: film stars, athletes and public personalities. The franchise and streaming environment of the 2020s means winners now often have multi-platform exposure—film, streaming series and robust social-media presence—unlike the magazine-driven celebrity economy of the 1980s and 1990s. That shift affects both how winners are selected and how their appearances on covers translate into measurable audience engagement.
Reactions & Quotes
Public response mixed immediate congratulations and commentary on representation; industry observers noted the PR value of a cover timed ahead of a major film release. Bailey framed the selection as personally meaningful while downplaying any sense of self-importance, a stance that aligns with coverage emphasizing his craft and charity work.
“It’s a huge honor … I’m incredibly flattered,”
Jonathan Bailey, in interview with People
Bailey used humility and humor when discussing the accolade with interviewers, positioning it as recognition he didn’t expect but that he values. He also emphasized respect for the role and for the organizations he supports, connecting the personal honor to broader commitments.
“It’s an honor of a lifetime,”
Jonathan Bailey, on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
On Fallon’s show Bailey described the title as transformative in terms of visibility and spoke warmly about the People cover shoot, which included his dog Benson. That anecdote humanized the publicity narrative and created a social-media-ready moment likely to be amplified by fans.
“I know the LGBT sector is under immense threat at the moment,”
Jonathan Bailey, on The Shameless Fund
Bailey’s comments about The Shameless Fund placed the cover story in the context of advocacy. Observers in the nonprofit and advocacy space said the spotlight can increase fundraising momentum and public awareness, though long-term impact depends on sustained engagement beyond the magazine cycle.
Unconfirmed
- Exact promotional itinerary tied to the People cover (dates and appearances beyond the Fallon announcement) has not been disclosed publicly.
- Any immediate measurable boost in streaming or box-office revenue attributable directly to the People cover has not been confirmed and will require audience-data analysis.
Bottom Line
Jonathan Bailey’s selection as People’s 2025 Sexiest Man Alive is both a personal milestone and a strategically timed media moment that aligns with major releases and ongoing advocacy work. The cover amplifies his visibility ahead of Wicked’s second installment on Nov. 21 and supplements a year that included an Emmy nomination and a role in a summer franchise release.
How lasting the effects will be depends on follow-through: promotional appearances, sustained media attention, and the ability of Bailey and his team to channel the spotlight into audience growth for his projects and measurable support for his philanthropic efforts. For now, the designation underscores his crossover appeal—from Shakespearean theatre to global streaming and blockbuster cinema—and positions him as a visible, socially engaged figure in entertainment.