Jonathan Bailey Named People’s First Gay “Sexiest Man Alive”
The Wicked and Bridgerton star says he never felt sexy growing up, but now feels comfortable in his own skin.
Jonathan Bailey, who stars as Fiyero in Wicked and its upcoming sequel Wicked: For Good, has been named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.” It’s the first time an out gay man has received the title.
The news was unveiled Monday night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where Bailey appeared holding a blown-up cover. He called the designation “the honor of a lifetime.”
Bailey first rose to global fame as Lord Anthony Bridgerton on Netflix’s Bridgerton, and has since starred in several high-profile projects, including an Emmy-nominated turn as closeted congressional aide Tim Laughlin in Showtime’s Fellow Travelers and as Dr. Henry Loomis in the summer blockbuster Jurassic World: Rebirth.
Bailey’s recent streak of success earned him a spot on the Time 100 Next list in September. His performance in Fellow Travelers landed him a cover story in Out magazine and a place, alongside his co-stars, on the Out100 list of influential LGBTQ figures. As Out noted, the English actor has also raised substantial funds for The Shameless Fund, a nonprofit he founded to support pro-LGBTQ initiatives.
Raised in rural Oxfordshire with his three older sisters, Bailey told People that he decided to become an actor at age five, after seeing a performance of the musical Oliver! with his grandmother. By seven, he was performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London — and has been acting ever since.
Bailey admitted he never saw himself as “sexy” growing up and has often wrestled with self-doubt and fear throughout his life.
“When I was really young, I was very confident about who I was, and maybe I lost that as I grew up,” he said. “We’re all sort of trying to get back to the origin, aren’t we? But I was swimming in the sea about an hour ago with a good gang, and I felt all right in my skin.”
In the realm of romance, Bailey says he’s looking for a good communicator who’s honest, transparent, and supportive. His perfect date might include dinner, the theater, or a film, depending on how long he’s been dating. “If it’s like date 100, then like Legos, although we Brits say it singular ‘Lego,’ and pizza,” he says. “Some of my best dates have been Lego dates.”
Bailey told the magazine he feels “incredibly lucky” in his life.
“Life is a ride for everyone no matter who you are, where you come from,” he said. “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.”
Past People “Sexiest Man Alive” covers have included actors John Krasinski, Patrick Dempsey, Idris Elba, Richard Gere, Channing Tatum, John Legend, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and David Beckham.
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