Since 1985, People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” cover has been the ultimate Hollywood bragging right—one glossy photo shoot that cemented a star’s heartthrob status in pop culture history. But the real fun comes years later, when we look back and ask the question everyone’s secretly thinking: did they stay sexy, or did Father Time have other plans? Some of these men have aged into jaw-dropping silver foxes who could still steal the spotlight on any red carpet, while others might leave you squinting and wondering, wait… that’s him? Take a look, you’ll be surprised at who still sizzles and who shocked us the most.
The very first Sexiest Man Alive was Mel Gibson, which tells you everything about mid-’80s Hollywood. Leather jackets, wild hair, reckless charm — Gibson was a one-man cinematic explosion.
His career since? Gibson’s legacy has been complicated. Blockbusters like Lethal Weapon (1987) and Braveheart (1995) remain iconic, but so do the scandals — anti-Semitic and racist rants, plus that infamous recorded death threat against his ex-girlfriend.
And then there’s the family tree. Nine children. Yes, nine. He’s basically running his own rugby team. Respect where it’s due: Gibson will always be remembered as the one who started this whole phenomenon.
After winning the “Sexiest Couple Alive” title with then-wife Cindy Crawford in 1993, Richard Gere took the crown on his own six years later at age 50. He was already Hollywood’s silver fox — Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, and a smoldering intensity unmatched.
When People named him Sexiest Man Alive in 1999, his ex-girlfriend Diane von Fürstenberg wholeheartedly agreed. “He walked like a biker, and that attracted me,” she recalled. “I knew I was going to get my hands on him.”
Today, Gere radiates calm sophistication. Between humanitarian work, Buddhist practice, and raising three kids, he’s still effortlessly cool. Some people age. Gere just… becomes more Gere. A rare achievement indeed.
Sean Connery was 59 when he finally took the crown in 1989, making him the oldest Sexiest Man Alive to date, but let’s be real: he could’ve worn the title any year since 1962. That accent alone deserved international recognition!
“For once, I’m speechless,” Connery told People after the win. Then, with perfect Connery timing, he added, “It’ll all be downhill from here!” But you know it wasn’t.
He passed away in 2020 at age 90, reportedly from heart failure, pneumonia, and old age. But even death didn’t dim the legend’s shine. Some men play Bond, but Connery was Bond. And hearing his voice could still make martinis shake themselves.
Harry Hamlin won in 1987, and suddenly the guy from Clash of the Titans and L.A. Law became the nation’s Greek god turned courtroom dreamboat. The man rocked a toga and a tie.
The modest actor, however, didn’t exactly buy into the hype. “Certainly when I look in the mirror, I don’t get turned on,” he admitted, brushing off his looks as unimportant.
Now, four decades later, Hamlin’s still working steadily in Mayfair Witches (2023). Married to Lisa Rinna since 1997, with modeling daughters, he quietly built a Hollywood dynasty. Not bad for a man who once fought claymation monsters with a sword.
John F. Kennedy Jr. became the first non-actor to win Sexiest Man Alive. Then a law student at NYU, his lush hair and dazzling smile made him People’s 1988 pick. America didn’t need convincing — he was already our prince.
People gushed not only about his “extraordinarily defined thighs” but also his combination of looks, presence, and social conscience. Tall, athletic, and carrying the unmistakable aura of Camelot, Kennedy embodied what no Hollywood star could replicate.
For a time, he seemed destined to redefine what public life could look like outside politics. But that promise was cut short in 1999, when a plane crash claimed him and his wife, Carolyn Bessette, leaving him forever frozen in memory as America’s golden heir. He was just 38.
Tom Cruise didn’t just win the title in 1990 — he practically redefined “movie star.” Top Gun’s Maverick had already cemented him as Hollywood’s unstoppable, toothy-grinned adrenaline junkie with a need for speed.
His Rain Man (1988) co-star Valeria Golino told People that Cruise’s most mesmerizing quality was his eyes: “Not their color. The way he looks with them. They’re very alive,” she said.
Just this year, he’s been rumored to be dating actress Ana de Armas, regularly spotted together on yacht trips in Spain, at an Oasis concert, and even fueling fever-dream wedding rumors about tying the knot in space. Yes, you read it right. Space.
Patrick Swayze’s crown came in 1991, and honestly, it made sense. By then, Dirty Dancing (1987) and Ghost (1990) had already cemented him as the king of romantic intensity.
When he was hailed as the sexiest man alive, his mom, Patsy Swayze, told People her son “knows he’s just an ordinary, down-home Texas kid” and doesn’t think that acting “deserves all that idolatry, if you want to call it that.”
Only Swayze could balance ballroom lifts with bar fights. And we missed that kind of presence on-screen. Sadly, he passed away in 2009 at just 57 after battling pancreatic cancer. But his legacy endures. Admit it: nobody puts Swayze in a corner. Nobody. Not then, not ever.
Nick Nolte’s 1992 win raised eyebrows — and maybe voices. With his gravelly voice and weathered charm, he wasn’t the traditional pretty-boy pick. But People knew: Nolte was raw, magnetic masculinity.
The Prince of Tides (1991) star reportedly laughed at the honor, asking, “Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake? My personal choice is Walter Cronkite,” according to the Associated Press.
By then, Nolte had stunned audiences in 48 Hrs. (1982) and Cape Fear (1991). Still working today in Warrior (2011) and Rittenhouse (2021), he was Hollywood’s gruff wildcard — sexy not despite the scruff, but because of it.
Mark Harmon snagged the title in 1986, making him only the second Sexiest Man Alive. With St. Elsewhere (1983–1986) and Moonlighting (1986) under his belt, he was the era’s quintessential TV crush. But wait! The former UCLA football star, however, didn’t quite see it.
“All I see is a bunch of fake teeth and football scars,” Harmon told People, baffled by the attention. But we know it wasn’t just about the looks! Harmon carried that all-American charm, the kind that convinced you he’d fix your car and ace the courtroom cross-examination. Hollywood adored that balance.
Decades later, Harmon became NCIS’s (2003–2021) Leroy Jethro Gibbs, building one of television’s longest-running fanbases. Quiet off-screen, happily married to Pam Dawber, he’s still proof that steady is very, very sexy.
Technically, People didn’t name anyone Sexiest Man Alive in 1994. A strange omission, considering Speed (1994) had just transformed Keanu Reeves into Hollywood’s most reluctant but irresistible heartthrob.
In 2015, the magazine corrected itself. Editorial director Jess Cagle retroactively handed Reeves the title, confirming what audiences already knew: Keanu was — and always had been — the obvious choice.
Fast forward: Neo in The Matrix (1999), John Wick’s unstoppable assassin (2014–2023). Keanu remains the internet’s favorite immortal — ageless, gracious, and perpetually cooler than every other man in the room.
Brad Pitt’s 1995 coronation felt inevitable. Legends of the Fall (1994) made him a global obsession, while Seven (1995) and Interview with the Vampire (1994) proved he had serious range.
He’d be crowned again in 2000, joining another actor in this list as a rare two-timer. Yet Pitt later admitted the honor threw him off, joking to Entertainment Weekly in 2011 that it felt dangerous to “believe your own hype.”
Even today, Pitt’s allure remains untouchable — so much so that a French woman was scammed out of €830,000 by someone posing as him! Ageless charm, Oscar prestige, impossibly golden hair — even con artists want to be Brad Pitt.
Denzel Washington’s win in 1996 felt long overdue. Yet, in classic Denzel fashion, he brushed it off with humility. “I don’t take myself too seriously,” he told People. “I don’t stop in the mirror and go, ‘Hey, Sexy Man.’”
His Courage Under Fire (1996) co-star Regina Taylor explained it best: “He has wit, style and intelligence.” That blend of charisma and gravitas made him an irresistible, once-in-a-generation star.
Nearly thirty years later, The Equalizer 3 (2023) and Gladiator II (2024) prove he still commands respect. Married to Pauletta Washington since 1983, he credits her as “the wind beneath his wings.” Together, they raised four children.
George Clooney’s 1997 win came after ER (1994–1999) turned him into television’s most charming doctor. With those eyes and that smirk, who wouldn’t fake an illness just to see him?
Like his buddy Brad Pitt, Clooney is a rare two-time Sexiest Man Alive, crowned again in 2006. As ER co-star Laura Innes told People: “He’s a rake, but also a dear, loyal friend who feels like family.”
Now, Clooney’s split life between family, philanthropy, and filmmaking. Married to Amal since 2014, raising twins, he’s still impossibly cool. Honestly, Clooney might be the only man who gets sexier with coffee commercials.
Harrison Ford was crowned in 1998 at 56, proving sexiness doesn’t fade. By then, he was already Han Solo in Star Wars (1977) and Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
Like many winners, Ford didn’t agree when the title arrived. “Why this sudden outpouring for geezers?” he asked People. “I never feel sexy. I have a distant relationship with the mirror.” Classic Ford: gruff, blunt, and unintentionally charming.
Now in his 80s, Ford returned for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). Married to Calista Flockhart since 2010, he remains cinema’s grumpy, but undeniably magnetic legend.
Another title given that felt long overdue. After years as 007 in GoldenEye (1995) and The World Is Not Enough (1999), Pierce Brosnan had already defined suave sophistication for a new generation.
What separated him from his peers was his best-dad-ever energy. His Evelyn (2002) co-star Julianna Margulies recalled that Brosnan’s real allure wasn’t tuxedos but tenderness: “When you see a gorgeous man holding hands with his wife and baby, there’s nothing more sexy.”
Today, Brosnan enjoys projects like Black Adam (2022) while doting on family. Married to Keely Shaye Smith since 2001, he still rocks the tuxedo like Bond never left.
Ben Affleck’s 2002 win captured Hollywood’s golden boy moment. Good Will Hunting (1997) made him a star, Pearl Harbor (2001) a heartthrob, and The Sum of All Fears (2002) a blockbuster lead.
Director Kevin Smith, Affleck’s longtime pal, explained the appeal to People: “Chicks gravitate to him. The word on the street is he’s the ideal man — chatty, gorgeous, generous, intelligent.”
Years later, Affleck seemed to prove him right — he became Bruce Wayne in Batman v Superman (2016), earned an Oscar as a director, and reunited with Jennifer Lopez. Reinvention is sexy too, even if he always looks permanently exhausted.
Johnny Depp’s 2003 win was perfectly timed. He had just swaggered into Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) as Jack Sparrow, making eyeliner permanently fashionable for men.
He’d win again in 2009, becoming only the third man to take the title twice, joining Pitt and Clooney. By then, Depp was Hollywood’s eccentric, unpredictable, magnetic oddball sex symbol.
In recent years, Depp faced a turbulent stretch — most notably his highly publicized legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard. These days, he keeps a lower profile. But every time Pirates plays on TV, you remember: only Depp could make rum-soaked chaos irresistible.
Jude Law’s 2004 crowning made perfect sense. He scored People’s most famous cover of the early 2000s, fresh off The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and Cold Mountain (2003).
His I (Heart) Huckabees (2004) co-star Naomi Watts gushed to People: “He’s the most beautiful man who ever walked the earth — an absolutely perfect oil painting.” Hard to argue with that. He has those eyes that could sell movie tickets on their own!
Law’s strength was mystery. Smooth, magnetic, never loud — he remains effortlessly cinematic. Married to Phillipa Coan, raising kids, and soon stepping into Vladimir Putin’s shoes in The Wizard of the Kremlin (2025).
Matthew McConaughey’s 2005 win reflected his rom-com reign. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) and Failure to Launch (2006) proved he could charm anyone in twenty minutes flat.
McConaughey’s “all right, all right, all right” aura made him irresistible. Shirtless jogging, lazy drawl, permanent tan — Hollywood was selling McConaughey’s Texan lifestyle to the public!
Then came the “McConaissance”: Dallas Buyers Club (2013), Interstellar (2014), True Detective (2014). He went from beachy rom-com hero to Oscar-winning heavyweight. Sexy? Absolutely. Range? It gets even better, and you’d better watch out!
Matt Damon’s 2007 win had perfect timing. By then, the Bourne trilogy (2002–2007) had turned him into Hollywood’s thinking man’s action star — tough, clever, and convincingly broody.
People joked that George Clooney and Brad Pitt have shamelessly campaigned for him since 2001. But all it takes is one look at Damon’s blue eyes, crooked smile, and family-guy demeanor to understand why he was chosen.
Sure, he wasn’t untouchable like Clooney or wild like Depp. But he was the best friend who just happened to look incredible in a t-shirt! Now, Damon remains a Hollywood mainstay. Oppenheimer (2023) reminded audiences of his gravitas, and next he’s set to star in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Hugh Jackman’s 2008 crowning was obvious. After debuting as Wolverine in X-Men (2000), he became the rare star who could slice villains on-screen and belt out musicals off-screen. Nobody does vibrato like Hugh!
Even Nicole Kidman, his Australia (2008) co-star, admitted she wasn’t immune. “Women’s jaws drop when Hugh walks into a room,” she told People — and audiences everywhere seemed to agree.
Jackman himself played it with humor, recalling how his ex-wife Deborra-lee Furness quipped, “I could’ve told them that years ago! Obviously, Brad Pitt wasn’t available this year.” Joke or not, it sealed his charm.
Ryan Reynolds made history in 2010 as the first Canadian to win Sexiest Man Alive. And that wasn’t shocking! He had charmed audiences in Definitely, Maybe (2008) and The Proposal (2009). Sarcasm, abs, and timing — a deadly sexy trifecta.
But Reynolds truly conquered with Deadpool (2016), proving superheroes could be raunchy, self-deprecating, and irresistibly Canadian. Hollywood needed him; audiences wanted him; People just put it in writing.
When asked about his reaction to winning, Reynolds admitted: “Well, there was a little moment of disbelief, and then you kind of settle into it.” Now married to Blake Lively with four kids, Reynolds balances blockbuster stardom with aviation gin ads and dad jokes.
Bradley Cooper’s 2011 crown reflected his rising momentum. The Hangover (2009) made him Hollywood’s troublemaker, while Limitless (2011) proved he could carry charisma and intensity beyond comedy. His mom, he admitted, “is going to be so happy.”
Yet, Cooper downplayed the hype, telling People: “I think it’s really cool that a guy who doesn’t look like a model can have this title. Sometimes I look great, other times horrifying.”
These days, Cooper balances blockbusters with directing. Dating Gigi Hadid, co-parenting his daughter, still starring in prestige films — he’s matured into Hollywood’s resident overachiever, but thankfully kept that grin.
Channing Tatum’s 2012 win was practically hand-picked by the Gods. Step Up (2006) revealed his dancing chops, while Magic Mike (2012) immortalized him as Hollywood’s buff, broody ex-stripper turned global phenomenon.
But even Tatum seemed shocked. “My first thought was, ‘Y’all are messing with me,’” he told People, admitting he couldn’t quite believe he made the cut as Sexiest Man Alive.
Now, he’s busy with acting, producing, and raising his daughter, Everly. Recently headlining Blink Twice (2024), Tatum proves sexy doesn’t have to be polished — sometimes it’s sweaty, funny, and surprisingly grounded.
Adam Levine’s 2013 win made history. The Maroon 5 frontman became the first musician — and only the second non-actor ever out of five — to grace People’s Sexiest Man Alive cover.
On The Voice (2011–2019), Levine’s sarcastic banter with Blake Shelton made him television gold. Tattoos, falsetto, mischievous smile — Levine was the band frontman who somehow doubled as prime-time heartthrob.
But in 2022, Levine faced controversy when Instagram model Sumner Stroh claimed he’d asked to name his next child after her. Levine denied an affair but admitted he had “crossed the line.” Hey, Adam, they were screenshots, you know? Coughs.
Of all the Hemsworth brothers, Chris became the global standout — and in 2014, People made it official. After wielding Mjölnir in Thor (2011), the Aussie instantly became Hollywood’s Norse god — tall, muscled, funny, and surprisingly good at fish-out-of-water comedy.
At the time, Hemsworth quipped that the title only bought him a couple of weeks of bragging rights around the house. He joked to wife Elsa Pataky: “I don’t need to do the dishes anymore, I don’t need to change nappies. I’m above that. I’ve made it now.”
Hemsworth remains impossibly down-to-earth. Surfing, parenting, saving Asgard — somehow, he makes divine godhood look like a relatable day job. He’s set to return as Thor in Avengers: Doomsday (2026), taking on a more mature version of the character. We can’t wait!
David Beckham’s 2015 crowning blurred the lines between sports and celebrity. By then, he’d dominated soccer with Manchester United and Real Madrid, while stylishly redefining what it meant to be a global athlete.
When the honor came, Beckham admitted he didn’t really see himself as especially attractive. But his wife, Victoria Beckham, had no such doubts. “I would hope that she feels this way about me all the time anyway,” Beckham joked, “but she said, ‘Congratulations!’”
Today, Beckham co-owns Inter Miami CF, is the father of four, and is still impossibly dapper. And you know what? His hair evolution alone deserves an award! Few athletes retire this stylishly.
By 2016, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was more than a wrestler turned actor — he was a cultural juggernaut. Fast & Furious blockbusters (2001–present), San Andreas (2015), and Moana (2016) have made him the world’s action-comedy sweetheart.
When People handed him the “Sexiest Man Alive” crown, he told Ellen DeGeneres that the title didn’t change much. “I still have to drive in my pickup truck and change Jasmine’s diapers — I just get to be the Sexiest Man Alive while doing it.”
Now a girl-dad of three, Johnson balances fatherhood with producing, tequila-making, and superhero gigs. Whether cooking up catchphrases or cooking pancakes on Instagram, The Rock proves that muscles and humor make the ultimate combo.
Blake Shelton’s 2017 win shocked many — and Shelton knew it. The Voice (2011–2023) coach joked to People, “I’ve been ugly my whole life. If I can be sexy for a year, I’m taking it!”
That was always the point of Shelton’s charm. He’s the kind of guy who’d sing you a ballad, give you bear hugs, and build your porch.
Of course, the internet had its fun. Shelton even read mean tweets aloud on Ellen, admitting his favorite said, “We may be living in a time of division and strife, but at least People magazine has united us in our certainty that Blake Shelton is not the sexiest man alive.”
Idris Elba’s 2018 win had Twitter rejoicing! He became the third man of color crowned, following Denzel Washington and Dwayne Johnson, proving People finally recognized what fans already knew.
From Stringer Bell in The Wire to Heimdall in Thor, Elba has always carried magnetic cool. A DJ, actor, director, and red-carpet knockout, he’s been teased as the ultimate Bond replacement.
“I was like, ‘Come on, no way. Really?” Elba told People. After checking himself in the mirror, he laughed: “Yeah, you are kind of sexy today.”
John Legend’s 2019 crown wasn’t just about looks — though, let’s be honest, dimples help! He became only the fourth man of color to hold the title, and just the third-ever musician, all of whom also coached on NBC’s The Voice.
Legend leaned into the moment with his signature humor. Sitting next to Blake Shelton on the show, he joked, had taught him everything. “I observed every move he made, every utterance that came from his mouth,” Legend quipped.
Of course, the EGOT winner hardly needed lessons. A Princeton grad at 16, Grammys by 26, and global stardom by 40, he redefined sexy as intellect plus artistry. Now married to Chrissy Teigen and raising four kids, he juggles music, activism, and dad-life like the busiest man alive.
When Michael B. Jordan finally won in 2020, everyone agreed it was “deserved”! At 33, the Black Panther (2018) star became the fifth man of color to hold the title, cementing his place in Sexiest history.
Jordan admitted his mom was the most excited — a fact that’s both adorable and grounding. His friends, he laughed, would waste no time roasting him. Fame or not, some things never change.
Since Creed III (2023) and now re-teaming with Ryan Coogler for Sinners (2025), Jordan embodies modern sexy: ambition, activism, and anime-loving swagger. Handsome, thoughtful, and unstoppable — he’s the blueprint for what “sexiest” means today.
Paul Rudd’s 2021 win had the internet screaming “Finally!” The man hasn’t aged since Clueless (1995), which is both comforting and slightly terrifying. Seriously, someone check his skincare drawer.
When crowned, Rudd leaned right into the joke. “I’m hoping now that I’ll finally be invited to those sexy dinners with Clooney, Pitt, and B. Jordan,” he laughed. “I figure I’ll be on a lot more yachts.”
Still married to Julie Yaeger since 2003. Even at home, her reaction to his winning was hilarious. She was “stupefied,” though audiences everywhere weren’t. Rudd’s biggest flex isn’t Marvel — it’s being everyone’s crush for nearly three decades without trying.
Chris Evans’ 2022 title was basically Marvel catching up with reality. After Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), his earnest smile and superhero biceps made him the internet’s favorite golden boy.
At home, no one was shocked. His mom told People she was “not surprised at all” by the win. Evans himself handled it with humility, joking that someday when he’s “old and saggy” he’ll look back and think, “I remember then.”
Beyond Cap, Evans has shown range in Knives Out (2019) and Gifted (2017). Now married to Alba Baptista since 2023, he balances activism, family life, and films with that same mix of wholesome charm and irresistible sex appeal.
When Patrick Dempsey finally won in 2023, fans shouted “McDreamy forever!” His Grey’s Anatomy run (2005–2015) had already cemented him as TV’s most beloved doctor — People was just catching up.
But Dempsey isn’t only a surgeon in scrubs. Films like Made of Honor (2008) and Enchanted (2007) showcased his rom-com charm, while Ferrari (2023) proved dramatic depth.
“I’m glad it’s happening at this point in my life,” Dempsey told People. It gave him an ego boost, sure , but also a platform to do good. Married to Jillian Fink since 1999, with three kids, Dempsey enjoys life as the hottest dad.
John Krasinski’s 2024 win felt like a victory for nice guys everywhere. From The Office (2005–2013) to Jack Ryan (2018–2023), he evolved from goofy Jim Halpert to action star.
But his biggest flex might be A Quiet Place (2018, 2021). Writing, directing, starring — Krasinski became a multi-hyphenate talent, all while maintaining that approachable, “your friend’s hot husband” energy.
Married to Emily Blunt since 2010, father of two, Krasinski embodies charm with stability. To be honest, he’s the Sexiest Man Alive you’d actually want at your neighborhood barbecue! Relatable wins.
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