Every hunky male celeb named 'Sexiest Man Alive' over the years

One thing about Hollywood: it has a few hunks!

40 years of People's annual "Sexiest Man Alive" list — a very exciting milestone!

This title, which was first given out in 1985, has had a few repeated names over the course of four decades. Nonetheless, the 40th entry to the "Sexiest Man Alive" echelon has been chosen in 2024.

If you need a refresher on which famous men were picked in the past 39 years — which honestly gives you some fascinating insight on how the status of a male "sex symbol" has and hasn't changed over time — we've got you covered!

Scroll through to take a trip down memory lane and explore the male celebrities who have named the "Sexiest Man Alive" by People over the years.

1. Mel Gibson (1985)

Picture it: it's 1985, Mel Gibson is a 29-year-old actor already known as an action star and household name, and People picks him as the first-ever "Sexiest Man Alive." Some would say that this choice hasn't aged amazingly — but hey, that's one thing that makes "time capsules" so interesting, right?

2. Mark Harmon (1986)

At age 34, Mark Harmon still wasn't known for his long-standing lead role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS. This was 1986, so Harmon was still most recognized for TV shows like Flamingo Road and St. Elsewhere, for instance. Still, a pretty solid choice for the second-ever "Sexiest Man Alive" named by People.

3. Harry Hamlin (1987)

The girls, gays, and theys oft today probably recognize the name Harry Hamlin from hearing Lisa Rinna saying his name so often on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. In 1987, though, Hamlin was a 35-year-old Hollywood hunk who made a legendary name for himself after playing Perseus in the 1981 film Clash of the Titans, as well as his role as Michael Kuzak on the TV show L.A. Law.

As far as Hollywood in 1987 was concerned, Hamlin was indeed (at least one of the) "Sexiest Man Alive" of that time.

4. John F. Kennedy Jr. (1988)

John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of U.S. President John F. Kennedy (assassinated in 1963) and First Lady Jackie Kennedy, was named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1988. JFK Jr. was 28 years old at the time and, after failed attempts at entering politics, became a writer and magazine publisher.

5. Sean Connery (1989)

Gen Z might not get it, but the worshipping of Sean Connery as a bona fide Hollywood hunk lasted for many, many, many years. One of those "you had to be there" things, y'know? Anyway, Connery was named "Sexiest Man Alive" at 59 years of age. He is still, to this day, the oldest man to ever be granted this title by People magazine.

6. Tom Cruise (1990)

Imagine watching a movie and a 27-year-old Tom Cruise appears in a scene, looking like that. It's like he was the Supreme Babygirl of an entire generation, but before we even determined what that meant. Well, People saw the vision, too, and named Cruise the "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1990.

7. Patrick Swayze (1991)

There's a special place reserved for the late Patrick Swayze in the great pantheon of ultimate Hollywood studs of all time. At 38, Swayze was named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" and was a household name who kept delivering great performances (and eye-candy!).

8. Nick Nolte (1992)

Circling back to what makes "time capsules" so interesting: Nick Nolte, who was then 51 years old, was named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1992. Right after Cruise and Swayze!

9. Richard Gere & Cindy Crawford (1993)

This is a weird one, but we've got you. In 1993, People decided to name the "Sexiest Couple Alive" as Richard Gere (44) and Cindy Crawford (27). This has never happened again, ever, to a degree like this — making this entry stand out even more.

But, I mean, who would complain about being reminded of how beautiful Crawford has always been? Also, this still meant that Gere was that year's "Sexiest Man Alive," and that one of the most accurate choices of all time, to be honest!

10. Keanu Reeves (1994)

People named Keanu Reeves the "Sexiest Man Alive" back in 1994 when the actor was just 30 years old. But if you ask basically anyone on the internet, they'll tell you that Reeves has looked exactly the same for decades now. He's a certified hunk (that's for sure!), so this choice is a case of "10/10, no notes."

11. Brad Pitt (1995)

Brad Pitt was named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" for the first time after reaching bona fide heartthrob status with his performances in Thelma & Louise (1991), Interview With the Vampire (1994), and Seven (1995).

At 32, Pitt's good looks were indeed having quite a moment in the mid-1990s.

12. Denzel Washington (1996)

Whitney Houston and The Preacher's Wife probably influenced People's choice in naming Denzel Washington as 1996's "Sexiest Man Alive" — as it should! The actor, who was indeed a gorgeous 41-year-old man at the time, has also been aging like fine wine over the years. We LOVE to see it!

13. George Clooney (1997)

George Clooney became a certified A-list in 1997 as he played ER's ultimate heartthrob Doug Ross, starred in The Peacemaker alongside Nicole Kidman, and became Batman a.k.a. Bruce Wayne in the undeniably queer-coded Batman & Robin film by director Joel Schumacher. The 36-year-old actor was also objectively gorgeous, which made him the perfect "Sexiest Man Alive" for that year.

14. Harrison Ford (1998)

I mean, just look at the material! Harrison Ford had already become a Hollywood staple in 1998 after playing the titular character in the Indiana Jones franchise and Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy. At 56-years-old, Ford had another huge hit with Air Force One, and it made perfect sense for People to choose him as 1998's "Sexiest Man Alive."

15. Richard Gere (1999)

Plenty of celebrities are sexy, but not that many celebrities can say they were named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" not one, but two times!

There are a few other celebs who became two-time holders of this title, but the first man to do it was Gere, age 50, back in 1999.

16. Brad Pitt (2000)

Just a year after Richard Gere became the first two-time "Sexiest Man Alive" honoree, People went with another celeb who had already held the title before: Brad Pitt.

The actor, now 37 years old, was named "Sexiest Man Alive" for a second time after making waves with his performances in films like Meet Joe Black and Fight Club, and also for dating Jennifer Aniston in a high-publicized relationship while she was at the height of her Friends success.

17. Pierce Brosnan (2001)

Pierce Brosnan, age 48, was on the verge of concluding his run as 007 in the James Bond franchise when he was named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People in 2001. The actor's iconic four-movie run in GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day concluded in 2022, but one can certainly say that Brosnan brought the sexy back to this series of films.

18. Ben Affleck (2002)

Ben Affleck had been making a name for himself for years by the time that he was named People's "Sexiest Man Alive." Namely, he had starred in 1997's Good Will Hunting and made a splash for cowriting that film with Matt Damon — which led to both Affleck's and Damon's first Academy Award nomination and win.

Around 30 years old, Affleck started being seen as a Hollywood heartthrob and action star to audiences, starring in movies such as Armageddon, Bounce, Pearl Harbor, and Reindeer Games. And, specifically in 2002, Affleck was already working on big projects like Daredevil and Gigli — the latter led to his very public relationship with Jennifer Lopez, and certainly helped him be named "Sexiest Man Alive."

19. Johnny Depp (2003)

In 2003, Johnny Depp had outgrown his Edward Scissorhands notoriety but was conquering the world with his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. It's unclear if a character like Jack Sparrow helped 40-year-old Depp be named "Sexiest Man Alive," but this was People's decision for that year.

20. Jude Law (2004)

It's hard to think of any on-screen appearance of Jude Law looking bad in a film. And, in the 2000s, he had already garnered a lot of attention by playing the gorgeous and posh Dickie Greenleaf in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). So why was he only picked "Sexiest Man Alive" by People in 2004? Well, the answer is simple: Closer!

Closer was a literal cultural reset for all the actors attached to that project, and it felt like an obvious (but well-deserved) choice for Law to hold this title in 2004.

21. Matthew McConaughey (2005)

Alright, alright, alright!

People named Matthew McConaughey as the "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2005 — a period when the actor was very much still in his "rom-com era" that included films like The Wedding Planner (2001), How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), and Failure to Launch (2006), to name a few.

22. George Clooney (2006)

George Clooney entered the two-time "Sexiest Man Live" club in 2006 — and it's hard not to attribute the 45-year-old actor's sex appeal to his recent movies at the time, such as Ocean's Eleven (2001), Solaris (2002), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), Ocean's Twelve (2004), and Good Night, and Good Luck (2005).

23. Matt Damon (2007)

Ben Affleck beat Matt Damon when it came to the title of People's "Sexiest Man Alive," but Damon still got his own cover in 2007, and the timing was actually pitch-perfect.

Not only had Damon concluded his role in the Ocean's Trilogy that year, but he was also reaching new heights as an action star through the Bourne series of movies. The third installment of the franchise — a favorite to many fans — was The Bourne Ultimatum, which absolutely propelled the 37-year-old actor to be perceived as the "Sexiest Man Alive."

24. Hugh Jackman (2008)

In 2008, Hugh Jackman had just finished his run as Wolverine in the initial X-Men trilogy of films and was making waves with performances in other projects such as The Prestige and Australia. At age 40, Jackman was named People's "Sexiest Man Alive," and it obviously felt long overdue!

25. Johnny Depp (2009)

While still playing Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and bringing his flair to 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory reboot, 2007's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street cinematic adaptation, a 45-year-old Johnny Depp was named yet again People's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2009.

26. Ryan Reynolds (2010)

Ryan Reynolds had a string of successful projects that contributed to raising his profile as a celebrity, which eventually led to him being named the 2010 "Sexiest Man Alive" by People. Of note, the actor's roles in The Proposal and X-Men Origins: Wolverine definitely contributed to his growing fame, while also proving that he had enough gravitas to pull off a performance in a movie as unique as 2010's Buried.

34-year-old Reynolds was also given this title following the news that he'd be in (what was expected to be) a superhero blockbuster, DC Comics' Green Lantern, as he played the titular character.

27. Bradley Cooper (2011)

It also took quite a while for Bradley Cooper to be recognized as People's "Sexiest Man Alive," even though it already felt like he was a pretty obvious choice for a few years at this point. In hindsight, however, this happened at the exact perfect time — 2011, which felt like an inflection point for the actor.

After starring in two The Hangover movies and doing several comedies such as Yes Man, He's Just Not That Into You, All About Steve, and Valentine's Day, Cooper had reached 36 years of age and was ready to enter the next phase of his career. In a way, this title felt like the final chapter of Cooper as a cinematic heartthrob, pushing him to do more dramatic work in films like Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper, and even his directorial pursuits.

28. Channing Tatum (2012)

Channing Tatum had already been established as a Hollywood heartthrob in films like Step Up and She's the Man. However, he did level-up in his career by making us laugh with 21 Jump Street and making us sweat with Magic Mike — both released in 2012. With such a milestone year, it came as no surprise that 32-year-old Tatum was named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" that year.

29. Adam Levine (2013)

The man once known as just being the very good-looking frontman of Maroon 5 became an actual A-list celebrity after a few high-profile relationships, appearing as a coach on NBC's singing competition show The Voice, and releasing the hit song "Moves Like Jagger." This was an era when Adam Levine was all over the place and had the general public swooning over him, leading to People's choice to be name Levine the "Sexiest Man Alive" of 2013.

30. Chris Hemsworth (2014)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) introduced Chris Hemsworth to a global audience with his portrayal of Thor — the Norse god of thunder and superhero that led four standalone films and was heavily featured in Marvel's Avengers saga. By 2014, there wasn't any debate that 31-year-old Hemsworth was worthy of not only of wielding the Mjolnir hammer, but also of People naming him 2014's "Sexiest Man Alive."

31. David Beckham (2015)

Another celebrity aging like fine wine is English soccer player David Beckham, named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People in 2015 at age 40. In recent years, the athlete and his wife, former Spice Girl member Victoria Beckham, released the Beckham docuseries on Netflix and have gotten more comfortable sharing their private lives on social media.

32. Dwayne Johnson a.k.a. The Rock (2016)

I mean, it's Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson… what do you mean he hadn't been named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" until 2016?!

The WWE wrestler had been transitioning into an acting career — showing off his action moves, comedy chops, and insane physique — as early as 2010's Tooth Fairy. Over time, he became a staple in the Fast & Furious franchise, headlined his own blockbusters like San Andreas, and was ultimately cast to voice Maui, the god of weather, in Disney's 2016 animated musical Moana. This was followed by the title of "Sexiest Man Alive," with Johnson reaching 44 years of age.

33. Blake Shelton (2017)

41-year-old Black Shelton was named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2017, and we're going to keep it real with you: this weird choice had a pretty lukewarm reception… and that was even among straight people!

No one was ever saying that the country singer and The Voice superstar is not a good-looking man… but there was a general sense of confusion regarding why Shelton was chosen in 2017 over a seemingly endless list of more obvious (and timely) choices.

34. Idris Elba (2018)

Speaking of glaring omissions… by 2018, it started to feel a little ridiculous that Idris Elba had never been named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People.

The actor had already reached that level of name recognition, had given us sensational performances in projects like Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Beasts of No Nation, and Luther, and still looked absolutely fantastic as a 46-year-old man. Thankfully, Elba finally received this title in 2018, and that one really felt correct.

35. John Legend (2019)

People followed up Idris Elba with another handsome man who absolutely deserved the title of "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2019: R&B superstar John Legend, who was 40 at the time. Between so many hit songs, TV show appearances, and even acting roles in movies, Legend has been on the Hollywood radar for decades now, and that face card has never declined (not even once).

36. Michael B. Jordan (2020)

Between his roles as Adonis Johnson in the Creed franchise and playing Erik Killmonger in Black Panther, Michael B. Jordan had already become a global superstar upon being named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People in 2020.

37. Paul Rudd (2021)

Paul Rudd was named People's 2021 "Sexiest Man Alive" after showing off how good he still looked in his 50s, to the point that he could have fully shirtless scenes in the Ant-Man movies and looked just as good as his younger costars in the MCU.

38. Chris Evans (2022)

While it was odd for so many actors connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be chosen back to back, Chris Evans obviously made perfect sense as a choice for People's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2022. At this point, girls, gays, and theys had been fawning over the 41-year-old actor for decades, and this felt like another long-overdue choice.

39. Patrick Dempsey (2023)

Even though People had already named male celebs in their 50s as "Sexiest Man Alive" before, the general public was still somewhat surprised for Patrick Dempsey to be chosen in 2023. With that said, the 57-year-old actor spent years in his "McDreamy" run on Grey's Anatomy and still kept up his good looks… so this was a surprising, but not particularly wrong choice, if you're asking us!

40. John Krasinski (2024)

John Krasinski was chosen as the 40th honoree on People's annual Sexiest Man Alive list.

From stealing our hearts playing Jim Halpert on The Office to making a huge splash directing A Quiet Place to becoming a bona fide action star on Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, Krasinski is definitely a Hollywood heartthrob that makes perfect sense for this list. He's also married to our queen Emily Blunt, and that's one of the best endorsements that we can think of!