What is this feeling…so sudden and new? Could it be? Did People actually get it’s “Sexiest Man Alive” right for once? That really is good news. (I’ll stop.) Jonathan Bailey officially got the 2025 title, making him the first openly gay man to be named “Sexiest Man Alive” since they first bestowed the honor on Mel Gibson 40 years ago. While that first decision aged like milk, this one is already going down as smooth as a drink at the Ozdust Ballroom (OK, now I’ll actually stop).
The decision was announced Monday night on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, where they unveiled Bailey’s two covers displaying the full breadth of 2025 cis male sexuality: wet and with dog.
Where was Bailey when he got the big news? He was 30 shows deep into a 130-show run playing Richard II in Shakespeare’s Richard II—a fitting tribute considering Richard II was good-looking enough to be the first English king ever to have his portrait painted during his lifetime, though sadly he was neither wet nor with dog in his pic.
Since 2022, Bailey’s played the lead in the very sexy second season of Bridgerton, a slutty little glasses-wearing paleontologist in Jurassic World: Rebirth, and of course, Fiyero Tigelaar, the bisexual prince of Winkie Country in Wicked. In short, he’s really been dancing through life in terms of film and TV credits these past few years. (Alright, maybe it’s time to admit I won’t actually stop…)
On being the first openly gay man to earn the title, Bailey told Fallon, “I’m sort of thrilled that People magazine has invited someone in to bestow this honor on someone who can really cherish the value of a sexy man.” As someone who also cherishes the value of a sexy man, it’s nice to see the award go to someone who actually makes sense (reminder that last year’s pick was John Krasinski—nearly two decades late) and not someone whose publicist appears to be working overtime.
I guess you could say this year’s decision was…for good.
Ex-husband Justin Theroux was among the 1.5 million people to “like” Jennifer Aniston’s Instagram post hard launching her new boyfriend. [Page Six]
Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla‘s stylists are fighting. [TMZ]
Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen donned matching black outfits to accept a CFDA Fashion Award for The Row. [Just Jared]
Taylor Swift and Gigi Hadid donned complementary fall fits for their girls’ night in Manhattan. [Page Six]
Hilaria Baldwin says the Dancing With the Stars costumes made her bruise. [Entertainment Weekly]
Dakota Johnson is “slowly dating again.” Fun! [People]
Kim Kardashian said she used ChatGPT for legal advice on her law exams, but that it was “always wrong.” OK… [Pop Base]
