What Happened To These Former Sexiest Man Alive Nominees

Selecting People's Sexiest Man Alive year after year may seem like an impossible task, but there is a method to the madness. In 2019, the mag's editor-in-chief, Dan Wakeford, elucidated what it takes to be a superhunk worthy of the coveted title, telling CNN that the winner is chosen on the grounds of "Who is hot, who is doing really well, and who actually is sexy."

As of September 2021, 35 men have been awarded Sexiest Man Alive status. Among those lucky individuals are some of the most prolific A-listers in Hollywood, including Brad Pitt and George Clooney, both of whom were deemed sexy enough to win twice. While many of the Sexiest Men Alive have enjoyed illustrious careers, a number of the nominees have slipped from the public eye. As Wakeford said, "A starting point often is, when we want to make a decision, is to think about the zeitgeist, think about what is sexy at the moment. What do people find appealing at the moment?" Considering who is sexy in the moment is key here: sexiness, like fame, is fleeting.

Sadly, some of these guys have gone from superstars to fading stars. Meanwhile, others have opted to eschew the Hollywood limelight and lead simpler lives away from the artifice associated with the Sexiest Man Alive moniker, which may be regarded as reducing much lauded actors to mere sex symbols. To paraphrase Dallas from "Magic Mike," the fact is the law says we cannot reduce celebs to their superhunk status. But we see a lotta lawbreakers up in this house tonight...

Mel Gibson has the honor of being the first ever person to be bestowed the title of Sexiest Man Alive when People launched the selection in 1985. Of course, this was long before his bigoted outbursts would tarnish his pretty boy image. At the time, he was riding high on a wave of critical and commercial success due to the "Mad Max" films. Thereafter, he enjoyed even greater prosperity with "Lethal Weapon" and "Braveheart."

But in 2006 Gibson went on a rambling, anti-Semitic rant when he was pulled over for drunk driving. TMZ reports that the actor hurled racist abuse at a cop, which heavily impacted his career. On a 2016 episode of Variety's "Playback" podcast, he would call the outburst an "unfortunate incident," which is arguably one of the understatements of the century.

After spending a long period in the wilderness, Hollywood eventually welcomed Mel Gibson back. In recent years, he can be spotted in "Daddy's Home 2," playing the father of fellow problematic actor Mark Wahlberg. As Variety notes, it's remarkable that someone who has dropped as many slurs as Gibson still has a career.

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"The greatest actor who ever lived" according to Peter Griffin of "Family Guy," Mark Harmon was the second person to be crowned Sexiest Man Alive. It may be somewhat difficult to fathom the silver-haired Harmon as the sexiest hunk alive, but he was quite the dreamboat in the '80s. Accordingly, People honored him for his sex appeal in 1986, during which time he was making fans swoon on medical drama "St. Elsewhere."

Speaking to People about being named Sexiest Man Alive, Harmon said, "I went up to play basketball and both backboards on either side of the court were plastered with the [Sexiest Man Alive] cover. So that's how I found out." That must have been quite the shock — and ego boost — to Harmon, though he remains largely unfazed by the prestigious title, explaining that "there are people who take it certainly much more seriously than I do."

Since then, he has enjoyed a prosperous career thanks to his depiction of Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on "NCIS," a role he has played since 2003. Despite the fame and fortune the part has afforded him, Harmon remains modest; "I'm not the big dog," he told the Seattle Times. "I might be a dog. But there's a lot of dogs."

However, in June 2021, Hollywood Reporter reported that Harmon may be growing weary of donning Leroy's famous cap and is potentially looking to part ways with the show.

The third Sexiest Man Alive, Harry Hamlin was decorated by People in 1987 following his breakout role in "L.A. Law," where he played dapper young lawyer Michael Kuzack. With his rugged good looks, Hamlin was a major heartthrob in the 1980s. For those young enough to remember, the sexual tension between Hamlin and Susan Dey was a torrid highlight of "L.A. Law." Sadly, Hamlin is one of those actors who is prolific without ever really reaching superstar status. Despite going on to secure roles in acclaimed fare such as "Mad Men," for which he received an Emmy nomination, Hamlin is now best known as Mr. Lisa Rinna. 

However, it seems that Hamlin's career trajectory is not the result of bad luck; rather, he never actually wanted to become a huge movie star. "I never wanted to be a movie star, and Hollywood was trying desperately to make me into one," he told The Daily Beast. "I turned down the biggest contract Warner Brothers has ever given anybody. It was called 'the Clint,' because the last time anyone had a contract given to them was Clint Eastwood. It was for a three-picture deal. The money was amazing."

In recent years, Hamlin has seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," which stars Rinna. On the Bravo series, fans can watch him address his youngest daughter's (now former) relationship with Scott Disick, serve homemade Bolognese, and prepare their house for fire season.

The son of JFK and Jackie O, John F. Kennedy Jr. was renowned for his statuesque good looks, a perfect combo of his mom's effortless poise and his dad's famous charm. Unsurprisingly, he was selected as Sexiest Man in 1988, at the age of 27.

Kennedy Jr. failed the bar exam twice before finally succeeding, but decided to venture into magazine publishing instead. As recounted in The Hollywood Reporter oral history about the magazine, he founded George in 1995. Living the lifestyle depicted in his mag, he reportedly dated some of the most gorgeous women of the era, including Cindy Crawford, Daryl Hannah, and even Madonna. 

When Larry King brought up the potential burden of continuing the Kennedy legacy during a 1995 CNN interview, Kennedy Jr. acknowledged that the appellation brought "great opportunities and some challenges. But all in all, I feel very fortunate."

Just over a decade after he was named Sexiest Man Alive, John F. Kennedy Jr. died in a plane crash in 1999 at the tender age of 38. In an article for Medium, Katie Couric reflected on Kennedy Jr.'s final interview, describing him as "kind, self-effacing, and surprisingly open." During the aforementioned sit-down, Couric suggests that Kennedy's success is "a real tribute" to his mother, to which he humbly and poignantly replies, "She would be glad to hear you say that. She took a lot of pride in being a mother and I'm glad people think it worked."

One of the oldest recipients of the coveted Sexiest Man Alive designation, rugged and handsomely hirsute James Bond star Sean Connery was 59 when People gave him the title in 1989. Unfortunately, the sometimes shaken but never stirred Connery saw his career end prematurely. The culprit? One enormous failure of a movie. There are few movies so bad that they force an actor to retire at the height of their career. But "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" was one such bomb. 

Not only did the 2003 flick gross a measly $23 million against a budget of $78 million in its opening weekend, but the production was fraught with disagreements between Connery and director Stephen Norrington. "There have been differences of opinion about almost everything," Connery told the Scotsman at the time. "Professional differences, personal differences, you name it." Subsequently, at an American Film Institute ceremony in 2006 (via the Independent), Connery declared, "I have retired for good."

Aside from lending his voice to "Sir Billie" and "Ever to Excel" in 2012, Connery really did hang up his moviemaking shoes after "The League of Extraordinary Gentleman." In 2020, Sir Sean passed away at the age of 90. 

It may be hard to believe that the gruff and grisly Nick Nolte was once crowned Sexiest Man Alive, but he achieved the feat 1992. With his tousled blond hair and lumberjack physique, there's no denying that the acclaimed "48 Hrs." star had a certain rough and ready charm in his heyday. But he also exhibited immense sensitivity in his films, namely via his role in "Lorenzo's Oil," in which his steely eyes spoke to the sympathies of the audience, as he depicted a father fighting for the rights of his disabled child.

Since then, Nolte starred in the Bill Bryson adaptation "A Walk in the Woods," alongside fellow acting vet Robert Redford, and he has retreated to, well, a tree. The much lauded actor has gone on to lead a quiet life in his treehouse (yes, seriously), with Variety describing him as "nothing if not authentic, more concerned with the books on his shelves than the material trappings of Hollywood." 

Regarding his decision to eschew Beverly Hills for a secluded woodland life, Nolte told the publication that such a drastic lifestyle change was necessary for his well-being. "You get carried away. That's what happens. Same thing with rock and roll," he said regarding the excesses of Hollywood. "That's the problem a bit with art in general, even painting: you want to celebrate the painting so you go from bar to bar. And then you get into a fight."

At the age of 50, Richard Gere was branded Sexiest Man Alive in 1999, six years after he and Cindy Crawford were dubbed People's Sexist Couple Alive. Once a revered actor known for heating up movie theaters due to his steamy roles in '80s classics "American Gigolo," in which he made history as the first mainstream male star to do a full-frontal nude scene, and "Pretty Woman," Gere is noticeably absent from our screens these days. 

His waning stardom is due to his tireless efforts protesting for the rights of Tibetans, which Gere believes has had an impact on his career. "There are definitely movies that I can't be in because the Chinese will say, 'Not with him,'" he told The Hollywood Reporter. "I recently had an episode where someone said they could not finance a film with me because it would upset the Chinese."

Subsequently, changing the world for the better has always been paramount to Gere, who is largely uninterested in his sex symbol status. "At no time in my life have I ever felt like a sex symbol," he told HELLO! (archived by Female First). "It's an illusion. But the work you do and the spirit that you give to it does have an impact on people and that I can take pride in." The actor may not consider himself to be a sex symbol, but as for his ardent fans? They're all geared up.

In 2001, Pierce Brosnan was flying high as 007 and was subsequently named People's Sexiest Man Alive. The image of the dapper star in his tuxedo, jet-black hair perfectly slicked back, remains one of the most defining representations of James Bond.

In an interview with Parade, Brosnan reflected on his past sex symbol status: "You really have to take it with a pinch of salt and have a sense of humor about yourself... because the old two-by-four is going to come round and whack you round the head before you know it." As the years have passed, the charming Irishman has acted in many less than acclaimed films ("A Christmas Star" and "Some Kind of Beautiful," anyone?), none of which match his most iconic role. No, not James Bond, but Stuart in "Mrs. Doubtfire," of course.

We have to give credit to a man who would let himself get mocked and humiliated so viciously on screen by Robin Williams, so props to you, PB. Discussing his experience of working with the late Williams, Brosnan told the Guardian, "I went into the makeup trailer and there was Robin, sitting in the makeup chair. He had a Hawaiian shirt on and cargo pants, and his hairy arms and hairy legs hanging out. He had the head of Mrs Doubtfire and greeted me: 'Oh, Pierce! Oh, you look so handsome, oh, give us a kiss.'" Hellooooo, indeed.

Charismatic actor Jude Law wooed audiences in the 2000s with his performances in "Alfie" and "Closer," resulting in him being hailed as People's Sexiest Man of 2004. His quintessentially English charming-yet-approachable demeanor endeared fans. At the time, his "I Heart Huckabees" co-star Naomi Watts described him as "the most beautiful man who ever walked the Earth." Considering that she's dated hunks such as Heath Ledger, that's a pretty big compliment.

In particular, Law's enviable golden mane contributed heavily to his popularity. Alas, the erstwhile heartthrob's luscious locks grew thin in time, with reports claiming that Law had a hair transplant before he even reached middle age, as chronicled by Men's Health. As the years passed since his Sexiest Man win, Law has become humble and somewhat disillusioned with Hollywood. "I was quite new to movie acting back then," he told the Guardian of the ostensible luxuries of Tinseltown. "I just assumed that was what it was like all the time." Reflecting on his early career, the actor emphasised that "They did a phenomenal job of selling us this lifestyle that just seemed so other and glamorous and cool."

He may not be able to play the pretty boy anymore, but with his acclaimed role in "The Young Pope," Law has aged like a fine wine. And, as the saying goes, "Beer is made by men, wine by God."

With his distinctive Southern drawl, we're not too surprised that People hailed Matthew McConaughey the Sexiest Man Alive in 2005. This was long before the McConaissance of the early 2010s and at the time the Texan native was famed for his roles in fluffy romcoms such as "The Wedding Planner" and "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days." 

Of course, his appearances in these largely panned romcoms led to numerous parodies; who can forget Stewie admonishing Mr. McConaughey by claiming that he is "one of the worst actors in the history of film" back in the 2008 "Family Guy" episode "The Former Life of Brian"? But McConaughey sure proved Stewie wrong with his Oscar-winning turn in "Dallas Buyers Club" and unforgettably nihilistic performance in the first season of "True Detective."

Although the McConaissance ended circa 2014, the revered actor is still around and is currently considering a career in politics. Speaking with Austin360, McConaughey expressed an interest in running for Texas governor. "I would say, as far as running, I'm not until I am," he explained in typically vague McConaughey fashion. "So my decision hasn't changed because I'm still not. Am I giving it honest consideration? Yeah. I'd be a fool not to."

Celebs venturing into politics doesn't always end well, which a certain orange ex-president can attest to, but McConaughey isn't considering a political career because he wants to. It's, as his chest-thumping "The Wolf of Wall Street" character would say, because he needs to.

As with Matthew McConaughey, People's Sexiest Man Alive of 2011 was a major superstar in the 2010s. From the Oscar-winning "Silver Linings Playbook" to the controversial "American Sniper," Bradley Cooper was one of the hottest stars around, due to both his steamy screen presence and acting chops. He even entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe when he lent his voice to Rocket Raccoon in "Guardians of the Galaxy." Following his highly applauded role alongside Lady Gaga in 2018's "A Star is Born," which Cooper also directed in his debut as a filmmaker, the actor has been somewhat absent from the limelight. 

There is a poignant reason behind this absence: Cooper has had to be extremely cautious since the coronavirus outbreak, as he's been taking care of his immunocompromised mom. "I'm with my daughter and my mother and my two dogs, and we have not left the house," he explained to Anthony Ramos in a conversation for Interview. "My mother is going to be 80, and she has a colostomy bag, so I can't let anybody in the house. And I can't leave the house, because if she gets it, it's over."

But thankfully, fans did get to spy Cooper's handsome phiz again. In a turn of events that was most pleasing to the eye, he was spotted at the 2021 US Open with two-time Sexiest Man of the Year winner Brad Pitt (he won in 1994 and 2000) in what we hope is a blossoming bromance.

Following the success of 2012's "Magic Mike," it's not an enormous shock that Channing Tatum, who played the titular exotic dancer, was crowned People's Sexiest Man Alive that year. As Mike, Tatum pleased many viewers in more ways than one, with The Salt Lake Tribune writing that the actor "elevates to star level with this performance. He gives his all (and his clothes) to the energetic stripper routines, but he adds a surprising emotional punch to the drama."

What began as a gritty social realism-inspired drama — albeit with a hefty dose of male semi-nudity thrown in — from indie director Steven Soderbergh ended up becoming a lucrative franchise, with a sequel and a stage show seeing Tatum rake in big bucks.

However, Tatum remains nonchalant when it comes to his immense stardom, explaining in a roundtable interview for We Got This Covered, "I think the superstar thing is completely arbitrary. It's all about who had a movie that did well one weekend. Then if you have a movie that doesn't do well the next weekend then all of the sudden you've fallen from, whatever. So it doesn't really mean anything for me."

These days, Tatum is happy to take a backseat from leading man status, having lent his voice to several animated films, including his stint as Superman in "The Lego Movie" franchise. Sorry folks, you won't be seeing much of Channing's, ahem, tate any time soon.

In his heyday, David "Golden Balls" Beckham was known for his skills on the soccer pitch and his penchant for excess bronzer. He was People's Sexiest Man of 2015, during which time he had already retired from the soccer field. This is, of course, the man whom Sacha Baron Cohen (as his alter ego Ali G) claimed couldn't "put whole sentences together." 

While he may not be known for his brains, the soccer star certainly makes up for it in brawn. He was one of the most popular soccer players, enjoying success across Europe, as well as in the U.S. when he played for L.A. Galaxy. On his sex symbol status, he, um, eloquently explained to Elle, "I, er, I dunno... I don't see myself as that. It's kind of a weird... yeah, when people mention that... I don't see myself like that at all."

Since then, Becks has ventured into franchise ownership with the formation of soccer team Inter Miami CF, which he co-founded in 2018. His new job got him into hot water when, as the Mirror reported, he breached Coronavirus restrictions by flying from the U.K. to Miami on a private jet with his wife, Posh Spice AKA Victoria Beckham. He may no longer be able to bend it like Beckham, but he can certainly bend the lockdown rules.

Many people would love to get wired with Stringer Bell aka Idris Elba aka the reigning Sexiest Man Alive of 2018. Despite hordes of fans swooning over the statuesque hunk, Elba is uncomfortable with the sex symbol tag. "I obviously get very embarrassed about it. But honestly, in my real day-to-day life, it just doesn't happen like that," he told reporters in London (via The Hollywood Reporter). "I don't get streams of women running after me – I have quite a normal existence."

Following his unforgettable role in "The Wire," Elba has been super busy, starring as the eponymous detective in British crime series "Luther," embarking on a rap career, and releasing his own podcast, "Coupledom." Furthermore, he has been introduced to a new generation of fans due to his emergence in the MCU as Heimdall in "Thor" and "Avengers."

Speaking to the Guardian, Elba explained that his multiple creative pursuits are "the best suspension system I have for keeping me even." In that same interview, he opened up about his fear of being in the public eye: "The higher you climb in the public eye, the more people see you, and the more, perceptually, you can fall... there's a responsibility not to let people down." Considering how beloved he is by the public, there is little chance of Elba letting his fans down. In the words of Stringer Bell, "We ain't gotta dream no more, man."