Former wrestler and “Moana” star becomes only the second person of color named by People magazine as Sexiest Man Alive.
Mel Gibson was just 29 when he was named People’s first Sexiest Man Alive in February 1985.
“St. Elsewhere” star Mark Harmon, then 34, became the magazine’s second choice.
“L.A. Law” star Harry Hamlin was 35 when he was named.
Political scion John F. Kennedy Jr., then 27, was named Sexiest Man Alive in 1988.
At 59, Sean Connery became the oldest Sexiest Man Alive when he was chosen in 1989.
Tom Cruise, 28, had just opened “Days of Thunder” when he was selected in 1990.
“Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost” star Patrick Swayze was 38 when he was tapped.
In 1992, 51-year-old Nick Nolte followed up his performances in “The Prince of Tides” and “Cape Fear” with the Sexiest Man Alive title.
In a departure from tradition, the magazine in 1993 named Richard Gere and model Cindy Crawford as Sexiest Couple Alive.
After skipping the franchise in 1994, People returned the following year by naming 31-year-old “Legends of the Fall” star Brad Pitt as Sexiest Man Alive.
Denzel Washington, 41, became the first non-white star named as Sexiest Man Alive in 1996.
George Clooney, 36, had just starred in “Batman & Robin” when he was chosen in 1997.
“Star Wars” and “Witness” star Harrison Ford was 56 when he was selected in 1998.
Brad Pitt was chosen for a second time in 2000.
Pierce Brosnan was 48 and then the reigning James Bond when he was named in 2001.
Oscar winner Ben Affleck was 30 when he was selected in 2002.
“Pirates of the Caribbean” star Johnny Depp, 40, took the honor in 2003.
Jude Law was at the height of his ubiquity when the then-31-year-old Brit was selected in 2004.
Matthew McConaughey was actually in a box office slump (“Two for the Money,” “Sahara”) when he was chosen in 2005.
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The first Sexiest Man Alive was Mel Gibson. He was given the honor in 1985.
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The youngest ever Sexiest Man Alive was John F. Kennedy Jr., who was 27 years old when he earned the title in 1988.
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The oldest is Sean Connery, who nabbed the title in 1989 at age 59.
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Four men have received the honor twice: Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, George Clooney and Richard Gere.
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Only three people who aren't actors have ever won the title: Kennedy, Adam Levine and David Beckham.
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In 1993, the honor went to two people as the "Sexiest Couple Alive": Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford.
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Since 1997 — when George Clooney was dubbed the Sexiest Man Alive — the issue has been released in November, with exceptions in 2002 and 2003, when it was released in the first week of December.
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Only two Sexiest Men Alive have died since receiving the honor: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Patrick Swayze.
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1994 is the only year since its founding that a Sexiest Man Alive wasn't awarded. Later, in 2015, the 30th anniversary of the franchise, PEOPLE editors selected Keanu Reeves as the 1994 winner.
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The franchise has been around for 32 years.
Diana Pearl
November 13, 2017, 2:10 PM
PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive By the Numbers