George Clooney, Paul Rudd and other former Sexiest Man Alive winners share advice for the newest titleholder

Is it getting hot in here? As People magazine will unveil its latest “Sexiest Man Alive” on November 12, previous honorees have just one thing to say to the new guy: enjoy the ride!

Since 1985, the exclusive club has honored men such as George Clooney, Paul Rudd and last year’s winner Patrick Dempsey, all of whom have won our hearts not just through their looks, but also through humor, confidence and joy of life. For these winners, the title is about more than just a pretty face – it’s a chance to enjoy the fun and maybe learn to laugh at themselves.

This year’s honoree, whoever they may be, might find these tips useful. Here’s what the Sexiest Men Alive of the past had to say about wearing the crown.

Don’t be shy, take advantage of this opportunity!

For some defending champions, the best approach is simply to be comfortable in your own skin. Idris Elba, who won the title in 2018, insists that what matters most is naturalness.

“Just enjoy it,” he advised his successor, John Legend, in a 2019 interview with People, encouraging him to “don’t try to be sexy, just be yourself.” That seemed to come easily to Elba, who confidently added, “I don’t have to Trying to be sexy – I’m sexy.”

Even on the hardest days, Elba explained, “[It] No matter if I woke up in the morning and looked crazy, people would say, “Oh, the sexiest man!” I was like, “Yes!” No matter what I do, I got the title and I feel very good.”

Ryan Reynolds, who was awarded the title in 2010, also believes in not downplaying the honor and advises fellow 2021 recipient Rudd to embrace it all.

“Don’t screw this up, Rudd,” he joked on Today, adding that it’s all about making the best of it without apologizing. “He will act shy. “He will act shy and modest,” adding: “I wouldn’t do that.” You have to take advantage of this opportunity.”

As for Rudd, he openly admitted that he was “the wrong guy” for the title, but he’s as excited as anyone to see who takes the crown next.

“I can’t wait to see who it is,” he told People. “I’m really happy to stand on the sidelines and just revel in their sexiness.”

Clooney, who took home the title in 1997 and 2006, says being the Sexiest Man Alive takes special dedication.

“For a whole year you have a lot of responsibility, you have to wear this sash. “It gets very uncomfortable after a while,” he recently joked to People, noting that he’s excited to see how this year’s winner handles it.

“Let’s see what kind of campaign he runs. You know what I mean? I want to see how good a campaigner he is,” he teased, adding, “I’m sure they’ll do a great job.”

Enjoy the ride – and wear jeans

Matthew McConaughey, who won the title in 2005, believes confidence and authenticity are what win the title.

In April, he told People, “If you’re called that and you’re still alive, you’re still the Sexiest Man Alive,” and joked that even after all these years, he still has bragging rights. As for style advice, it’s simple: “Go for denim.”

Speaking about his 2005 cover, he said: “I noticed that denim is the first choice in every photo shoot, especially this one. Go to denim. Blue catches the eye; Denim, all-American. It was a good call. Denim still works for me today.”

Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, who was crowned in 2016, brings his trademark humor to the club.

“My conversations with colleagues [Sexiest Men Alive] are always the same,” he told People. “I say, ‘Listen, just so you know, here’s the thing about Sexiest Man Alive: I’m actually the only one who has it for the long haul. So you have it for a year – but I have it for a lifetime.'”

The Moana 2 Star took a playful dig as he greeted 2022 honoree Chris Evans during a segment The Late Showencouraged him to accept the role and “say something sexy.”

Have perspective: “You can’t take yourself too seriously.”

For others, a big part of the honor is knowing when to tune out the noise.

Blake Shelton, whose 2017 title drew mixed reviews, knows from experience that the announcement isn’t always met with universal approval. His advice? Stay calm for a while.

After the news of Legend’s 2019 title was shared live The voiceShelton gave his fellow coach a tip. “I said, ‘Hey, man, listen. After this announcement is made, wait about two weeks before checking social media, because everyone who has ever hated you will have something to say about it,” he recalled to Entertainment Tonight.

Legend himself offered humble advice, reportedly telling Meredith’s Blackprint in 2020, “It was funny, it was humbling, it was all of that.”

He continued, “I really enjoyed making fun of myself the whole time because you can’t take yourself too seriously when someone calls you the ‘Sexiest Man Alive.’