Why Ryan Gosling has never won People’s Sexiest Man Alive title: Actor reportedly turned down honour

It’s time for the highest accolade of the year to be revealed, with People magazine’s annual “Sexiest Man Alive” issue being released today. 

Exciting as this time is, it does bring into question the celebrities who’ve decided not to accept the universe’s highest honour.

For decades, there’s been backlash over Ryan Gosling not being chosen as the cover star – but this is allegedly no fault of People‘s. 

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The Barbie star reportedly turned down the title on multiple occasions, in perhaps one of the biggest un-Ken moves of the century. 

“They tried a few times, especially during his huge year in 2011,” an individual close to the publication told TheWrap. 

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“The consensus was he’s too serious for it, too artsy.”

Anyone who’s seen footage of The Notebook actor as a Disney Mouseketeer or performing at the 2024 Academy Awards would strongly beg to differ. 

“While I look forward to the day when Ryan Gosling is named Sexiest Man Alive, this was not his year,” People’s Editorial Director diplomatically told TheWrap. 

“Our 2014 honoree, Chris Hemsworth, was our first and only choice.

“If you want to know why, just look at him. I mean, seriously.”

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All the men who have been named People’s Sexiest Man Alive

Now, this incident did occur nearly a decade ago, so perhaps Gosling has had a change of perspective, leaning towards the camp lifestyle that brought him to fame.  

We can only hope that this heartthrob is offered the Sexiest Man Alive crown again and has the good sense to accept and fulfil the wishes of the masses. 

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There is one thing we know for sure: the people want to see Gosling championing his good looks.

Last year, People’s readers voted him the ‘Sexiest Ken’; this year, there has also been a push on social media for him to win the 2024 Sexiest Man Alive issue. 

“Ryan Gosling is this year’s sexiest man alive because I said so,” one user wrote on X.

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