10 Photos of Jonathan Bailey: People Magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive 2025'

Jonathan Bailey was crowned People magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive' in a moment of unabashed glee.

Bailey, the 37-year-old English actor whose rise from Royal Shakespeare Company stages to global cinema has been meteoric, was revealed as People magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive' for 2025, an accolade announced on 3 November 2025 during the US broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Bailey told People he felt 'incredibly flattered' and described the recognition as 'completely absurd', embracing the moment with characteristic warmth and humour. The selection accompanies a cover shoot and a long feature on People that traces his journey from Oxfordshire theatre boy to a leading man in blockbuster musicals and prestige television.

A Career Forged on Stage and Screen

Bailey's ascent is rooted in classical training and steady craft; he began in theatre, later earning acclaim for television roles such as Lord Anthony in Netflix's Bridgerton and for his Emmy-nominated work in Fellow Travelers.

In recent years, his profile catapulted after he played Prince Fiyero in the 2024 film Wicked, and he appeared in the summer's Jurassic World: Rebirth, high-visibility projects that, People notes, positioned him squarely in the international spotlight ahead of this year's selection.

The People feature offers an extended portrait, citing his theatrical roots, awards, and a 'grounded' persona that editors say underpins his broad appeal.

Bailey's humility and self-deprecating humour were on show when Jimmy Fallon unveiled the cover, the actor walked onto The Tonight Show set amid applause, joked about keeping the news secret from everyone except his dog Benson, and admitted he was still 'giggling' at the honour.

The Tonight Show segment, covered by US outlets and carried on network clips, captured Bailey's delight, his playful interaction with Fallon, and a brief behind-the-scenes taste of the People photoshoot.

What the Cover Reveals About Celebrity Culture

People has made the 'Sexiest Man Alive' an annual cultural marker since 1985, and its choices often reflect broader trends in entertainment and representation.

This year's cover places an actor celebrated both for commercial musical cinema and for nuanced dramatic work at the heart of that conversation. People's feature highlights not only Bailey's screen credits but also his off-stage commitments, notably The Shameless Fund, the LGBTQ+ initiative he launched in 2024 to support community projects and combat stigma. Bailey frames the award as an opportunity to amplify causes that matter to him, a thread People stresses throughout its piece.

The selection also underlines how stardom today blends franchise visibility with personal narrative. Bailey's candid reflections in the People interview, on ambivalence about fame, aspirations to be a parent one day, and a desire to return to studies he left unfinished, humanise a magazine cover that could otherwise read as purely cosmetic.

Editors emphasise that his combination of craft, charisma and activism made him their pick for 2025.

Industry Reaction and Broader Significance

News agencies and entertainment outlets rapidly amplified People's announcement. Reuters and the Associated Press filed reports that echoed People's central claims and added context about Bailey's recent projects and awards history; both noted The Tonight Show reveal and Bailey's immediate responses to hosts and audiences.

Coverage across UK and international outlets underlined the global interest in Bailey's elevation and assessed its likely impact on his marketability and upcoming releases — notably the Wicked sequel, Wicked: For Good.

Social media responses were swift and enthusiastic, with fans celebrating the award and quoting Bailey's charming interview moments. Industry commentators pointed out that the People cover arrives at a peak moment in Bailey's career, giving him a broader platform to champion the causes he speaks about, an outcome the actor himself acknowledged in conversation with People and on Fallon's show.

Bailey's selection is at once a career milestone and a moment that highlights how celebrity honours can amplify both persona and purpose.