The people have spoken, and after last year’s disappointing disaster of Blake Shelton being named as “Sexiest Man Alive,” People has listened.
In the year of our lord 2018, the magazine has crowned Idris Elba with the title.
https://twitter.com/idriselba/status/1059672529323868160
That’s right! For the first time in (at least one) years, the people agree with People on its sexiest-man designation, with Elba sharing a title with the likes of Actual Sexy Men such as Dwayne Johnson, Chris Hemsworth, and Ryan Reynolds. It’s also noteworthy since the distinction often goes to a rotation of white men who are given the title again and again.
The cover of Elba’s issue, with the actor smiling broadly and propping a cable-knit-cardigan’d elbow atop his knee, calls him a “sweet, smoldering superstar.” And the internet couldn’t agree more.
https://twitter.com/biancaadelpilar/status/1059693034873311233
https://twitter.com/ira/status/1059674962317914113
People: Idris Elba is the #SexiestManAlive
— Hanii (@HaniLee1) November 6, 2018
Me: pic.twitter.com/ij4rsKc41j
https://twitter.com/Megan_Sass/status/1059673906661990402
people acting like we didn’t already know idris elba was the sexiest man alive pic.twitter.com/QyiAyo6L46
— alex(is) | semi-hiatus (@ltfrankcastIe) November 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/tigers182/status/1059672883922919425
Who’d have thought it: EVERYONE.
— megan rhymes with vegan (@meganjlarson) November 6, 2018
Tell me something I didn’t already know …@idriselba is the sexiest man alive 😉 pic.twitter.com/QQPnGwr4UH
— Melanie321 (@Mellie4Justice) November 6, 2018
The most interesting part of Elba’s selection, IMO, is that People stated in their video of their announcement that the sexiest man needed to be someone who respected women—aka, someone who isn’t going to be outed as a Bad Man amid the entertainment industry attempting to take sexual harassment and assault more seriously. Which, you know, should have been a goddamn bare minimum requirement before Elba’s reign as sexiest man. But it doesn’t hurt that the magazine is signaling that being publicly known as an abusive asshole isn’t grounds for praise or recognition. (Last year’s pick, Shelton, had a history of racist and homophobic comments.)
Elba selected as our sexiest man alive isn’t just an injustice righted—it’s a sign from God, the woman herself, that we have at least one November election that turned out better than expected, and with any hope, will have several other wins to come.
Well, we won the first election. https://t.co/6Fi6jEIyDl
— Patricia Smith (@pswordwoman) November 6, 2018
Hi @people thank you for hearing my anger about Blake Shelton the Sexiest Potato Alive last year and making this right. Still waiting on Sterling for next year though… #IdrisElba🔥 https://t.co/IPIYpCuFru
— Emily Lloyd (@emily_lloyd16) November 6, 2018
If you’re in line to vote, stay in line and make sure everyone around you knows Idris Elba is the sexiest man alive.
— R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) November 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/BrycePaschal/status/1059803030999175168
If People got this right, I have a hope people can get this right. #VoteBlueToSaveAmerica https://t.co/crTCT2CiGY
— Courtney Enlow (@courtenlow) November 6, 2018
THIS TWEET ACTUALLY AGED QUITE WELL CONGRATS TO IDRIS ELBA https://t.co/Mh4Gott1vE
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) November 6, 2018
Idris Elba rightfully winning sexiest man alive after Blake Shelton stole it last time gives me a lot of hope for this Election Day
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) November 6, 2018
The British actor, after all, used his cover announcement to encourage people to vote in the U.S. midterm elections. He’s sexy and knows what’s at stake!
https://twitter.com/annehelen/status/1059679688891752449
READ MORE:
- A plain and simple guide to understanding consent
- The look of violent men
- Everything you need to know about the anti-harassment initiative Time’s Up
Watch People‘s full video of Elba’s sexy charm and lack of bad angles below:
