Jonathan Bailey has mastered the art of capturing hearts.
He’s turned on the charm as Lord Anthony on Bridgerton and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the Showtime series Fellow Travelers. Then, of course, there’s his 2024 big-screen debut as the dashing Prince Fiyero in the movie musical megahit Wicked, followed by this summer’s blockbuster Jurassic World: Rebirth,
Bailey, 37, — who is Sexiest Man Alive 2025 — says he’s been grateful to work on those projects alongside “brilliant” talent like Matt Bomer, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Scarlett Johansson. And based on the tight bonds he’s formed with his costars (not to mention lots of playful, platonic PDA), the feeling is very mutual.
Jason Hetherington
Before he was one of the most in-demand stars in Hollywood, Bailey dreamed of being an actor after seeing a production of Oliver! with his grandmother when he was five. Describing himself as a kid, the actor, who was raised in rural Oxfordshire with three older sisters by his mom, Carole, and dad, Stuart, says he was “really enthusiastic, probably quite annoying. Hard to calm down. I don’t think I ever thought of myself as sexy as I grew up.”
As for his first celeb crushes? “I think I’d say Prince Eric [from The Little Mermaid]. But I’d also say, Trini in Power Rangers was huge,” he recalls. “And I remember accidentally throwing two garden utensils over the fence trying to be her. Who else? Anita from Heartbreak High. That’s it.”
Disney; Saban Entertainment
These days, the newest Sexiest Man Alive is just about everyone’s crush, but it’s his career that he’s most grateful for. “I feel so lucky that I never, never thought that I would be partaking in these sorts of stories,” he tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “Because I think it meant that I was just so fastidious and dedicated to each job as it came, because I was so grateful for it and never thought there’d be another one coming.”
Fueled by that gratitude, he formed his charity, The Shameless Fund, which uses brand collaborations to raise money to support LGBTQ+ rights and organizations.
Jason Hetherington
“There’s so many people that want to do brilliant stuff who feel like they can’t,” he says, “and I know the LGBT sector is under immense threat at the moment. So it’s been amazing to meet people who have the expertise and see potential that I could have only dreamed of.”
Describing his life now, Bailey feels “incredibly lucky. Life is a ride for everyone no matter who you are, where you come from,” he says. “It’s just making sure that when you’re in the ride, you’re looking left and right and making sure everyone’s all right. And give them a high-five along the way if they need it.”
