By Lake DiStefano
Nation & World Editor
“Wicked” star Jonathan Bailey has been named People’s Sexiest Man Alive 2025. The actor has been having a busy past few years, and with the impending release of “Wicked: For Good,” this decision hardly comes as a surprise to those who have been following Bailey.
Bailey’s feature on the annual magazine issue was announced on Nov. 3, during an episode of “The Tonight Show.” During the episode, Jimmy Fallon revealed the big news and brought Bailey out to the typical sit-down interview segment of the show.
People’s Sexiest Man Alive franchise first started in 1985, with each year the magazine choosing to spotlight a male celebrity who has had some sort of recent rise to fame. Beyond the stereotypical and often vague idea of peak masculine attractiveness, the magazine also factors in charitable acts and cultural impact within their recent considerations.
In the past five years Bailey has been involved with many projects, such as the hit Netflix original “Bridgerton,” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the Showtime series “Fellow Travelers.” He also has been making it big within the “Wicked” franchise as Prince Fiyero and a main actor in this past summer’s blockbuster “Jurassic World: Rebirth.”
Bailey’s introduction to the performing arts came early for him, with him performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London at seven-years-old, according to People.
He has continued to refine his acting chops since then, with him noticeably prioritizing roles in both the stage and screen ever since.
According to People, he was raised in rural Oxfordshire with his three older sisters, his mom and his dad. He fully knew he wanted to be an actor at age five after seeing a performance of “Oliver!” with his grandmother.
He is also a vocal advocate, with him founding The Shameless Fund in 2024. The mission statement of the charity is to support LGBTQ+ initiatives globally, according to Vogue.
“A few years ago I thought, what can you do as an actor? There are so many amazing people who are on the frontline,” Bailey told Vogue. “They’re the real heroes that are working for organizations, and charities, and initiatives, which can speak to so many specific groups of people.”
Bailey’s induction into the pantheon makes sense given the trend of the magazine’s past few entries including fellow actors such as John Krasinski last year and Chris Evans in 2022.
Still, the annual title is especially notable this year, with Bailey being the first openly queer man to receive the honor within the magazine’s run. This, combined with his openly queer advocacy and charity, marks a visible pivot away from the magazine’s often perceived shallow nature of being purely about physical attractiveness.
Even beyond the title itself, Bailey is still set to have a busy rest of his year as he prepares for the release of “Wicked: For Good,” the final part of the duology film adaptation of the hit musical by the same name.
