John Krasinski is the Sexiest Man Alive of 2024!

John Krasinski wasn’t quite sure what to think when he found out he was named PEOPLE’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive.

“Actually just an instant blackout. No thoughts,” he tells the magazine in this week’s cover story. “Apart from the fact that I might get screwed. So I don’t wake up and think, “Is this the day I’m going to be asked to be the Sexiest Man Alive?” And yet it was the day you did it. You guys really raised the bar for me.”

While fans may know Krasinski as a smitten, prank-loving newspaper salesman, or an intense former Marine turned CIA agent, or a devoted family man who sacrifices himself for love, the 45-year-old actor prefers to be just husband and Being a Dad Sings Netflix documentaries and enjoys bedtime stories with his kids.

Krasinski now lives in Brooklyn with his wife of 14 years, actress Emily Blunt, 41, and their daughters Hazel, 10, and Violet, 8. He says Blunt was “very excited” when she heard the big news: “There was a lot. It was a great joy that I told her.”

The actress even joked that she would wallpaper the ceiling of her house if her husband got the crown. “Do we have this on camera? Because it’s like a binding contract, I think,” he says. “My kids will love this, it won’t be weird at all.”

Loved for his nine-year role as Jim Halpert on the hit series The officeHe co-wrote, directed and starred alongside Blunt in the 2018 thriller A quiet place. Its huge success spawned two sequels, while Krasinski was ripped off for Michael Bays 13 hoursHe stayed in fighting shape to play the titular Jack Ryan for four seasons in the popular Prime Video series, which is now set to be made into a film.

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With this year’s film IFin which he also starred, wrote, produced and directed, the actor cemented his status as one of Hollywood’s top filmmakers. Nevertheless, the transition required a bit of sensitivity. “I had to pitch the studio about 54 times [for AQP] before they said yes,” jokes Krasinski, who next stars alongside Natalie Portman in the action heist film Fountain of youth. “I’m pretty sure someone said, ‘Sorry, is Jim coming out?’ The office Are you going to direct this?’ And I said, “Oh, it’s John, but we’ll do it.”

These days, Krasinski makes his own decisions and values ​​the life he built with Blunt. “There’s something beautiful about being married to someone and constantly learning, changing and evolving,” he says. “And I’m so lucky to be able to go through all of this with her.”

Not that his new title will change anything: “I think it will make me do it more Chores,” he jokes. “After this comes out, she’ll be like, ‘Okay, that means you’re really going to deserve it here at home.’ ”

For more exclusive interviews and photos from Krasinki, check out this week’s issue of PEOPLE on Friday at the kiosk