There were many viable contenders for PEOPLE Magazine’s 2024 edition of the Sexiest Man Alive. Top contenders included man of the moment Glen Powell, universally beloved leading man Pedro Pascal, and Mr. Swift himself, Travis Kelce. Some wondered if any of the guys from Wicked or Gladiator 2 would be up for the title, if only for the tie-in possibilities. There was always Ryan Reynolds or Hugh Jackman, following on from the billion-dollar success of Deadpool & Wolverine. But, in hindsight, the choice was never going to be that current. So, when it was revealed that the Sexiest Man Alive for 2024 was, apparently, John Krasinski, a resounding cry of ‘huh’ was heard across the internet.
Sure. Okay. Why not? He’s attractive, in the right age bracket, has a cozy home image with wife Emily Blunt, was on one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 2000s, and he headlined a popular Amazon show (that ended last year.) Certainly, the criteria were there. But this also felt kind of passe, right? It’s a little behind the times. This would have made way more sense only a few years prior, perhaps when Jack Ryan premiered in 2018 and A Quiet Place became an unexpected commercial hit. Then again, one would never criticize the PEOPLE SMA selection committee for being ahead of the Zeitgeist.
The story accompanying the cover focuses on his status as both a husband and father and as ‘one of Hollywood’s top filmmakers.’ His family comedy IF did make over $190 million worldwide (from a reported budget of $110 million), but claiming he’s one of the most sought-after directors of the moment is, frankly, an exaggeration. But hey, PEOPLE isn’t here to fact-check. This is a promotional opportunity, not a real title.
That’s what makes all of Krasinski’s faux shock over receiving the title so funny. Dude, there’s no way your team didn’t coordinate this with the magazine. There were months of conversations. All the questions were 100% vetted and your publicist was most certainly ensuring that PEOPLE focused on the things you wanted them to. There’s no shame in that. This is a fun and effective chance to pander to a sought-after demographic. Oh, Jim from The Office is an artiste now? Cool.
He’s also just perfect for the things that PEOPLE want from this cover. Before the announcement, I was predicting Joshua Jackson to clinch the cover, and my reasoning for it was similar to why I think it ultimately went to Krasinski. Jackson is a cute white dude with wide appeal, he carries a lot of nostalgic clout, he’s on a big show that a lot of people are currently watching (and one that would benefit from the PEOPLE bump), and he’s also a dad. The SMA choice is always safe, by which I mean it’s not a display of raw or ‘dangerous’ sexuality. You don’t see playboys on the cover, except for George Clooney, and he was the exception because his lothario image never felt leering or exploitative (or just plain sad – looking at you, Leo.) I always joke that PEOPLE picks guys who would be found among the pages of Lisa Simpson’s Nonthreatening Teen Boys magazines, and this assertion has never proved me wrong. It’s less about abs and more about who looks good in a nice knitted sweater while talking about their children.
The one chink in the armour, so to speak, is how this levels up with some less-than-positive press Krasinski has been receiving lately. In an episode of the podcast The Town, Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw talked openly about the ‘generally known fact’ of Krasinski being an ‘asshole’ and that he was an alleged ‘nightmare’ to work with on Jack Ryan. They alleged that multiple people in the industry vowed never to work with him again, but that he was well protected because of his Hollywood connections.
He’s also faced some flack north of the border for appearing in an ad for Rogers in Canada despite a labour dispute The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) and a group of Canadian ad agencies has effectively prevented union actors from appearing in spots for some of the country’s biggest brands. As many Canadian actors talked about having to sell their homes due to the blackout, Krasinski was receiving top dollar to dance to Taylor Swift on a boat. ‘Every time I see that commercial, it makes my skin crawl,’ said Keith Martin Gordey, the president of the Union of British Columbia Performers, to CBC.
Neither of these stories, however, was ever going to break the barriers of PEOPLE’s set-up and agenda. They want a nice safe white dude to pose for them and they’ll take the one who agrees to play the game. This is an advertisement, not a democratic vote. So sure, why not John Krasinski? He’s got what they want and he clearly desired their attention. Perhaps now he can start being nicer to his crews. Allegedly.