NEED TO KNOW
Matt Bomer couldn’t be happier that Jonathan Bailey is PEOPLE’s 2025 Sexiest Man Alive.
The Wicked star, 37, was revealed to be the latest cover star on Nov. 3, and his Fellow Travelers costar had the sweetest reaction to the news.
Calling Bailey’s honor “long overdue,” Bomer, 48, told The Hollywood Reporter, “I’m glad the world has finally woken up to what we’ve all known for years, and I could not be more proud and happy for Johnny. I love him dearly, and he is more than deserving of this title.”
Bomer, who played a politician having a secret affair with Bailey in the 2023 limited series, noted of his former costar being named Sexiest Man Alive: “The fact that he’s the first from the LGBTQ community makes it that much more impactful.”
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“Part of me feels like I can’t believe it’s taken until 2025, but I’m just grateful that we’re here today. I think you have to put that aside and then say, hey, progress is progress, and this is phenomenal,” Bomer continued.
He added, “I’m glad that Johnny was the guy. He’s the perfect person to hold the mantle.”
Bomer’s response to the Bridgerton star’s new title echoes that of Bailey himself, who said in his cover story, “It’s a huge honor. Obviously, I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd.”
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During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where his cover was unveiled for the first time on Monday, Bailey admitted he was “still giggling” about inheriting the coveted crown.
He recalled being “in the zone” on Shakespeare’s Richard II earlier this year when he learned he’d be on the cover. “You go slightly mad, and the only thing madder than doing Richard II is being invited into this.”
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He also quipped during the appearance: “In 2025, I’m sort of thrilled that PEOPLE Magazine have invited someone in, to bestow this honor on someone who can really cherish the value of a sexy man.”
Bomer is not the only costar Bailey has received praise from following his unveiling.
The cast of Wicked got together to create a compilation video — featuring them wearing t-shirts with photos from Bailey’s cover shoot — and congratulate him. Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jon M. Chu, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Jeff Goldblum and Marissa Bode all got in on the fun, as Erivo quipped, “Now the world knows what I’ve known all along.”
