Jonathan Bailey Gives Credit to His 'Knockout' Sexiest Man Alive Cover Star: 'Hot Dog' Benson
- - Jonathan Bailey Gives Credit to His 'Knockout' Sexiest Man Alive Cover Star: 'Hot Dog' Benson
Benjamin VanHooseNovember 12, 2025 at 2:06 AM
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Jason Hetherington
Jonathan Bailey and his dog Benson -
Jonathan Bailey spoke about sharing his PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive cover with his dog Benson
"He is a very handsome boy," said the Wicked: For Good actor of the pup who is "always full of energy"
In his PEOPLE interview, Bailey said Benson was the only one he told about the Sexiest Man Alive title before it was revealed on Nov. 3
Jonathan Bailey couldn't have asked for a better companion on his Sexiest Man Alive cover.
One of the star's two collectible PEOPLE covers for the milestone 40th anniversary edition of Sexiest Man Alive features a shirtless Bailey holding his dog Benson.
While at the London premiere of Wicked: For Good on Monday, Nov. 10, the actor praised Benson to Extra when asked about sharing the cover with him.
"He's a hot dog," Bailey, 37, said with a smile, calling their joint cover a "knockout."
Bailey shared that when his friends questioned him having his dog involved in the photoshoot, he told them, "Yeah, it's necessary, actually, for this one."
Jason Hetherington
"He is a very handsome boy," said Bailey, adding that the pup is "always full of energy, he's always inspiring, and he'll eat anything, which in itself is kind of sexy."
Bailey also told Extra about celebrating being crowned the 2025 Sexiest Man Alive. "I don't think you can possibly take it in stride," he said. "I take it very seriously, but also with an absolute out-of-body sort of hysterical you know— I'm going to have a drink tonight with my family and friends and sort of celebrate how wild and ridiculous it is."
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty
Jonathan Bailey on Nov. 10, 2025
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In his interview with PEOPLE, Bailey said the new title is a "huge honor," adding, "Obviously I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd. It’s been a secret, so I’m quite excited for some friends and family to find out."
Had he really not told anyone about it prior to the Nov. 3 reveal? "I told my dog Benson," he said. "But no, I haven’t. How do you spell... NDA!"
The Bridgerton alum predicted that his friends would "be furious that I haven’t told them, and then they’ll just squeal with delight."
He added, "They’ve seen me grow up. Behind the mask of being identified as a sexy man are other truths that they know and they’ve witnessed. They know the secrets."
Wicked: For Good is in theaters Nov. 21.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
