People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive From 2000 - Present

People’s Sexiest Man Alive title is one of the magazine’s most popular annual features. The list below compiles each year’s honoree since 2000 and adds brief notes about why they were selected. Out.com’s retrospective on People’s honorees provides context for the winners and notes how their careers or public images contributed to the recognition.

2000 Sexiest Man Alive – Brad Pitt

Became a two-time honoree; newly married to Jennifer Aniston at the time and starring in Snatch.

2001 Sexiest Man Alive – Pierce Brosnan

Nearing the end of his run as James Bond and credited with bringing “sexy” back to the 007 franchise.

2002 Sexiest Man Alive – Ben Affleck

Fresh off hits like Good Will Hunting and Armageddon; his relationship with Jennifer Lopez kept him in tabloids.

2003 Sexiest Man Alive – Johnny Depp

Riding high on his debut as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.

2004 Sexiest Man Alive – Jude Law

Praised for dramatic performances including Closer and earlier roles like The Talented Mr. Ripley.

2005 Sexiest Man Alive – Matthew McConaughey

Dominated the romantic-comedy era with films such as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

2006 Sexiest Man Alive – George Clooney

Already an Oscar-nominated director and star of Ocean’s Eleven; became a two-time winner.

2007 Sexiest Man Alive – Matt Damon

Finished the Ocean’s trilogy and triumphed as Jason Bourne; The Bourne Ultimatum boosted his profile.

2008 Sexiest Man Alive – Hugh Jackman

Known for playing Wolverine and starring in The Prestige and Australia.

2009 Sexiest Man Alive – Johnny Depp

Second win; still headlining Pirates of the Caribbean and films like Sweeney Todd.

2010 Sexiest Man Alive – Ryan Reynolds

Roles in The Proposal and X-Men Origins: Wolverine made him a breakout leading man.

2011 Sexiest Man Alive – Bradley Cooper

Recognized after success in The Hangover films; soon pivoted to dramatic roles.

2012 Sexiest Man Alive – Channing Tatum

Had a milestone year with 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike.

2013 Sexiest Man Alive – Adam Levine

Maroon 5 frontman and The Voice coach; his television and radio popularity led to the title.

2014 Sexiest Man Alive – Chris Hemsworth

Widely admired for portraying Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

2015 Sexiest Man Alive – David Beckham

International football star and global style icon; honored at age 40.

2016 Sexiest Man Alive – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Successfully transitioned from wrestling to acting with hits like San Andreas and Moana.

2017 Sexiest Man Alive – Blake Shelton

Country singer and The Voice judge; a People’s choice that surprised some fans.

2018 Sexiest Man Alive – Idris Elba

Acclaimed for performances in Luther and films like Beasts of No Nation.

2019 Sexiest Man Alive – John Legend

Singer, songwriter, and EGOT winner; recognized for his R&B hits and television presence.

2020 Sexiest Man Alive – Michael B. Jordan

Star of Creed and Black Panther; widely praised for his leading-man performances.

2021 Sexiest Man Alive – Paul Rudd

Marvel’s Ant-Man star known for comedy, charm, and seeming to age backwards.

2022 Sexiest Man Alive – Chris Evans

Another Marvel hero; long-time fan favorite for playing Captain America.

2023 Sexiest Man Alive – Patrick Dempsey

Celebrated for his “McDreamy” role on Grey’s Anatomy; honored in his 50s.

2024 Sexiest Man Alive – John Krasinski

Recognized for The Office, directing A Quiet Place, and starring in Jack Ryan.

2025 Sexiest Man Alive – Jonathan Bailey

Star of Bridgerton and Fellow Travelers; first openly gay actor to receive the title.