5 Men Who Deserved to Be Crowned Sexiest Man Alive

PEOPLE magazine has named John Krasinski, star of The Office and A Quiet Place, as this year’s Sexiest Man Alive. While many fans are happy for him, some are criticizing the magazine for a lack of diversity in its choices.

Since the title started in 1985, most of the winners have been white men. Mel Gibson was the first to be named, and stars like Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, and Richard Gere have won the title more than once. Other winners include Chris Evans, Channing Tatum, and David Beckham.

In nearly 40 years, only five Black men have been given the honor, which has led to complaints about the list not reflecting a wider range of beauty.

Denzel Washington was the first Black man named PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1996. It took another 20 years for a second Black man to earn the title, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson being crowned in 2016. Following that, Idris Elba, John Legend, and Michael B. Jordan topped the list in consecutive years from 2018 to 2020.

In a 2010 ABC News special, then-managing editor Larry Hackett explained how the magazine makes its selections.

“The decision we make is based on what we hear from the public,” Hackett said. “Whose movie did you see? Whose record did you buy? Whose television show did you watch? How are you feeling about these individuals?” He added that the choice is “a mix of someone who’s hot but well-known. Not too young, not too old, and somebody who, frankly, maybe we haven’t thought of.”

Hackett also highlighted the importance of physical appeal in their decision-making process. “Sexy certainly has to do with someone being good-looking,” he told Bustle. “It’s about a certain kind of romantic, flirtatiousness, [and] physical appeal that goes beyond just an academic appreciation of their looks.”

Let’s check out the prospective sexiest men alive

Usher

Usher isn’t just the King of R&B — he’s also the King of Being Shirtless. After making history with his Las Vegas residency, the superstar is now on tour, and fans can’t get enough of his signature “Nice & Slow” moment.

During the performance, he takes off his shirt and pours water over himself, leaving the crowd swooning. Somebody cue “Good Kisser.”

Trevante Rhodes

Aside from being absolutely breathtaking, the proof is all in the Mea Culpa sex scenes. Cue the montage!

Michael Ealy

It’s no surprise that his viral hug with Meagan Good stirred up quite the controversy online.

Morris Chestnut

Morris Chestnut is the epitome of ’90s fine, and he’ll forever be fine. We’ve all been lusting after this man for over 30 years and counting.

Boris Kodjoe

First, let’s all thank Nicole Ari Parker for sharing her husband with the rest of us. Whether he’s running through a blazing fire on Station 19 or expressing his love for her so openly, the multilingual actor knows how to make us swoon, anytime, anywhere.