People magazine has named John Krasinski the Sexiest Man Alive for 2024, replacing 2023’s winner, Patrick Dempsey.
Stephen Colbert announced the honor during the November 12 episode of The Late Show. The Office star, famous for playing Jim Halpert, received praise for his kindness and thoughtfulness—qualities that earned him the coveted title. When Colbert highlighted his reputation for kindness, Krasinski jokingly responded, “I think it’s that—and the biceps.”
Krasinski reacted with complete surprise.
“Immediate blackout, actually. Zero thoughts,” he told People magazine. He admitted he never expected to wake up and be named Sexiest Man Alive. “I thought maybe I was being punked,” the 45-year-old actor joked, adding that the honor set a high bar for him. Despite the shock, Krasinski expressed gratitude for the recognition and the joy of receiving such a title.
Krasinski, who shares two daughters—Hazel, 10, and Violet, 8—with wife Emily Blunt, said Blunt was thrilled when she learned of his win. The Devil Wears Prada actress promised to make Krasinski’s magazine cover wallpaper in their Brooklyn home. “Do we have that on camera? That’s like a binding contract, I think,” he laughed. He added that his children would definitely enjoy the new décor, though he joked it wouldn’t be “weird at all.”
Talking about his 14-year marriage to Blunt, Krasinski explained that their relationship continues to evolve in beautiful ways.
“When you’re married to someone, you’re constantly learning and changing,” he said. “And I’m so lucky to go through all that with her.” As for how the title will affect his home life, Krasinski joked that it might mean more household chores for him. “After this comes out, she’ll be like, ‘All right, you’re going to really earn it here at home.’”
Krasinski now holds the title that Patrick Dempsey received in 2023. Dempsey, equally surprised by the recognition, told People last year, “I started laughing, like, this is a joke, right?” His family—wife Jillian and their three children—couldn’t stop laughing when they heard the news. “They were like, ‘No seriously, who is it?’” Dempsey recalled. Despite the shock, the 58-year-old actor expressed gratitude for the recognition. “It’s nice to have the recognition,” he said. “It gives me a platform to use it for something positive.”
Krasinski is following in the footsteps of several recent Sexiest Man Alive winners, including Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, and Idris Elba.
However, he isn’t the only one to receive recognition this year. People also held readers’ choice polls, where fans voted for winners in various categories, such as Sexiest Summer Action Star and Sexiest Fiyero. Jonathan Bailey, who plays Fiyero in the Wicked film adaptation, won the latter.
Other notable winners include Chip Gaines, who earned the title of Sexiest Handy Man after beating out Jonathan and Drew Scott of Property Brothers and Ty Pennington from Rock the Block. Robert Pattinson, who became a first-time father earlier this year, received the title of Sexiest First-Time Dad.
Lastly, the Sexiest New Heartthrob honor went to 27-year-old Jacob Elordi, star of Saltburn and Euphoria. Elordi, set to star in the upcoming film Frankenstein, triumphed over nominees such as Nicholas Galatzine, Gavin Casalegno, and Manny Jacinto.
Krasinski remains grounded despite the excitement of his new title. With his family’s support and his signature humor, he feels ready to tackle the challenges that come with being crowned Sexiest Man Alive.