NEED TO KNOW
It’s good to see him, isn’t it?
Jonathan Bailey hilariously reworked a famous line from Wicked as he discussed being named PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive in a recent interview.
When asked about the honor at the Wicked: For Good premiere in São Paulo on Nov. 4, the actor, 37, told Access Hollywood, “Some people are born sexy. And some people have sexy thrust about them.”
The quote was a play on the line from Wicked — “Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” — which Glinda (Ariana Grande) asks during the film’s opening number, “No One Mourns the Wicked,” while speaking about Elphaba, a.k.a. the Wicked Witch of the West (Cynthia Erivo).
Bailey stars in Wicked as Fiyero, a prince involved in a love triangle with Grande and Erivo’s characters.
Continuing to discuss his PEOPLE title for 2025, Bailey said, “It’s been a huge honor, and I remain a humble servant now, for the next year.”
He added with a laugh, “And I will serve as the Sexiest Man to the people before I hand it over to some other absolute dude.”
When later asked what he most wishes for as PEOPLE’S Sexiest Man Alive, Bailey said with a smile: “Peace, happiness, kindness, communication and a naughty, naughty time.”
Bailey was revealed as the 2025 cover star on Monday, Nov. 3. He is the first openly gay man to ever be named PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive.
While reflecting on the “huge honor” in a Thursday, Nov. 6, interview with Forbes, the star spoke about his excitement and what the opportunity means for the LGBTQ+ community.
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“There’s nothing sexier than progress,” he said. “Of course, there was no way I wasn’t going to step into that corner this year, when the opportunity arose.”
“There’s something about knowing when that invitation came in, it’s amazing to be able to accept it without a second thought, knowing that it’s meaningful and impactful, as well as just an incredible and hilarious honor,” Bailey continued. “It’s not lost on me at all.”
The actor then acknowledged that he “grew up being very inspired by sexy men,” clarifying, “I mean also a lot of people who have shifted the way that we understand ourselves in society.”
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Bailey also told the outlet he’s eager to see how the title can help the LGBTQ+ community, saying, “I know what it means, you know, for me — for little me — and also, for a lot of people out there. It’s a celebratory moment for a lot of people.”
