Chris Evans jokes he’ll be ‘ripe for harassment’ after being named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine

Actor Chris Evans has been named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive – and joked that the honour meant he’s “ripe for harassment” from his pals.

Evans, 41, accepted the award remotely on the set of his upcoming film Red One from former title holder and current co-star Dwayne Johnson, 50, during Monday’s The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Speaking to People about the honour, the Knives Out actor said: “My mom will be so happy. She’s proud of everything I do but this is something she can really brag about.”

Evans quipped that he’s likely to be teased by close friends, however, saying: “Really this will just be a point of bullying. It’s ripe for harassment.”

People interviewed Evans at a Georgia farmhouse, where the actor talked about finding a better work-life balance.

“The most enjoyable aspect of my career right now is feeling secure enough to take my foot off the gas,” he said.

The star joins fellow Avenger and Marvel co-stars Paul Rudd, who held the title in 2021, Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Reynolds and Chris Hemsworth in being named Sexiest Man Alive.

Other men to have been given the honour include John Legend, Idris Elba, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Richard Gere, Channing Tatum and David Beckham.

People named its first Sexiest Man Alive - a then 29-year-old Mel Gibson - in February 1985.

Evans’ first film role came in 2000’s The New Comers, before he starred in Not Another Teen Movie. He went on to play superhero Johnny Storm in two Fantastic Four films in the early noughties.

Evans gained widespread fame in 2011 with the release of Captain America: The First Avenger. He went on to reprise his Captain America role in no fewer than 10 Marvel films.

He put down his shield following Avengers: Endgame in 2019 and has gone on to star in Knives Out, voice the Buzz Lightyear character in Pixar’s Lightyear film and play a sadistic villain in Netflix’s The Gray Man.

Evans will next appear in Pain Hustlers opposite Emily Blunt and with Ana de Armas in Dexter Fletcher’s Ghosted.