Brimming with charm, wit and almost unfairly handsome looks, it’s no wonder Jonathan Bailey has become one of the most irresistible stars in Hollywood. And now he’s been crowned PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive.
“I haven’t thought about it,” the Wicked: For Good star says of how the title might change his life. “If it gets intense, maybe I can call one of the Chrises or The Rock.”
So what did the British actor think when he first heard the news? “I mean, it’s a huge honor. Obviously, I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd,” he says, laughing. Bailey joked he only shared the secret with one loved one: his dog Benson. “No, I’m quite excited for some friends and family to find out.”
Jason Hetherington
Asked to guess who he thinks will give him the most grief, the actor assumes his friends. “They’ll be furious that I haven’t told them,” he says. “And then they’ll just squeal with delight. They’ve seen me grow up. Behind the mask of being identified as a sexy man are other truths that they know and they’ve witnessed.”
In the past five years alone, Bailey has captured hearts as Lord Anthony on Bridgerton and earned an Emmy nomination for his role as a closeted congressional staffer in the Showtime series Fellow Travelers. Then, of course, there’s his 2024 big-screen debut as Prince Fiyero in the movie musical megahit Wicked, followed by this summer’s blockbuster Jurassic World: Rebirth.
“I feel so lucky that I never, never thought that I would be partaking in these sorts of stories,” he says. “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.”
Bailey knew he wanted to become an actor at age 5 after seeing a production of Oliver! with his grandmother. By age 7, he was already performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has continued to act steadily on stage and screen ever since.
Jason Hetherington
A typical day off entails the simple things in life: “I get up, go for a walk, have coffee,” he says. “Go see friends or listen to loads of music, always got headphones near me. And then maybe watch a film or go to the theater.”
As for the perfect date night? Bailey insists it depends on what number date. “I love a walk, I do love dinner, theater, films,” he says. “You know, if it’s like date 100, then like Legos, although we Brits say it singular, ‘Lego,’ and pizza. Some of my best dates have been Lego dates.”
Jason Hetherington
Ahead of the finale, Wicked: For Good, hitting theaters Nov. 21, “Jonno,” as his close friends call him, is enjoying the last few weeks of calm before the fan-frenzied storm begins again.
“You get to a point where you look back and you go, ‘Wow,’ but you never for a second think that’s where you’re headed,” he says. “You know, to be able to do things that you dream of.”
