The wait is officially over: John Krasinski has been crowned People Magazine’s 2024 sexiest man alive!
As per tradition, the winner was revealed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which aired on CBS on Tuesday, November 12 at 11:35pm ET.
The office alum thought he might be getting "punked" when the news broke out.
John Krasinski has been announced as People Magazine’s sexiest man alive for 2024
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“Just immediate blackout, actually. Zero thoughts,” John told the magazine for this week’s cover story. “Other than maybe I'm being punked. That's not how I wake up, thinking, ‘Is this the day that I'll be asked to be Sexiest Man Alive?'"
"And yet it was the day you guys did it. You guys have really raised the bar for me," he continued.
He noted that his wife, actress Emily Blunt, 41, was "very excited" to hear the news. “There was a lot of joy involved in me telling her," he said.
“Just immediate blackout, actually. Zero thoughts,” said The Office alum about earning the title
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Emily, his wife of 14 years and mother of his children, Hazel, 10, and Violet, 8, also joked about wallpapering their house with the cover if he received the crown.
"Do we have that on camera? Because that’s like a binding contract, I think," he added. "My children will love that, it won’t be weird at all."
A few of this year’s heartthrobs who were rumored to swoop in for the award included Kansas City Chief’s Travis Kelce, Narcos’s Pedro Pascal, Top Gun: Maverick star Glen Powell, and Deadpool’s Ryan Reynolds, among others.
“There was a lot of joy involved in me telling her," the actor said about breaking the news to his wife, Emily Blunt
These names were put in the conversation after People received nearly 350,000 votes submitted by polls this year.
Some nominees such as Jimmy Fallon and Mark Consuelos were certainly dedicated to making sure they didn’t go unnoticed — from customized shirts to getting people’s grandmothers involved, they’ve done the work.
Last year’s “sexiest man alive” Patrick Dempsey opened up on what the label meant to him
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Dempsey, star of Grey’s Anatomy, revealed the anxiety that came with being given such an important title.
After he was asked whether the 58-year-old flaunted the news, he said, “No, it makes me more anxiety-ridden. I needed to stay in shape, to train more. But it’s amazing the reach it has.”
He additionally added how he was able to use the “tremendous platform” for good.
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“It’s allowed me to talk about The Dempsey Center (which focuses on cancer care). Fame in itself is quite empty, but if you can do something, and you can be of service, that is truly what life is about and gives you meaning and joy,” Dempsey stated.
A few of the other men given the title of “Sexiest Man Alive” from past years include Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Michael B. Jordan, John Legend, and many more.
Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson, who received the honor from 2022 and 2016, respectively, shared some cheeky advice for [winner’s name] before the highly anticipated name drop.
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“Yeah, just wrap it up,” Evans joked. “You know what I mean, you’re only ever going to be second.”
Johnson added, “This is in perpetuity. We just never give up the title.”
On a more serious note, the Captain America star said, “It all goes by too quick. You’re going to wake up one day and you’re just going to have these crow’s feet that are just there permanently. Man, it’s all downhill after PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive. That’s what I’ve learned.”
An insider revealed the behind-the-scenes process of what happens when choosing the titular star
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Ever since People started handing out this iconic award in 1985 — when actor Mel Gibson was the first recipient — people have been formulating theories on what the process is.
Luckily, editor Julie Jordan has all the answers.
In an interview with USA Today, she said they pay attention to talk of the town as the year progresses and what the general public’s opinion is. Additionally, “we also ask female celebrities — we ask them who their vote would be for sexiest man alive.”
But according to Dan Wakeford, who was Editor-In-Chief from 2019 to 2022, it isn’t just the star’s physical appearance they focus on.
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For example, he mentioned that Michael B. Jordan’s activism in the Black Lives Matter movement and passion for women’s rights were crucial reasons he was chosen four years ago.
As for how the annual title came to be, Good Housekeeping reported it began as almost a passing thought.
When former People Magazine staff member Michelle Green wrote a feature about Mel Gibson, she ended her article by saying, “And then the sexiest man alive slouches away, alone.” The outlet used that line for the cover and thus, the exemplary label was born.