Paul Rudd has been crowned as People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive 2021

LOS ANGELES: Paul Rudd, best known for his role as “Ant-Man,” was voted People magazine’s sexiest man alive on Wednesday, joining Idris Elba, George Clooney, and Bradley Cooper.

Rudd, 52, whose career spans 30 years, was caught away by the distinction, as did his wife.

“I do have an awareness, enough to know that when people hear that I’d be picked for this, they would say, ‘What?'” he stated People magazine’s cover story.

“She was stupefied,” he stated, describing Julie, his 18-year-old wife’s reaction. “After some chuckling and surprise, she exclaimed, ‘Oh, they got it right,’ which was quite lovely.”

Rudd first appeared as the kind boyfriend of Lisa Kudrow’s wacky Phoebe on the TV comedy “Friends,” then moved on to bigger roles in comedies like “Knocked Up” before starring as Ant-Man in the Marvel superhero film, which was followed by a sequel and appearances in “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Endgame.”

Rudd, who has two children, will next be seen in “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “The Shrink Next Door,” a TV series.

Last year’s sexiest man alive was actor Michael B. Jordan, who was followed by John Legend and Idris Elba in 2019 and 2018.

Rudd commented that now that he has gotten the annual title, he expects his life to change greatly.

“Now I’m hoping to be invited to some of those steamy meals with Clooney, Pitt, and B Jordan,” he remarked. “I also expect to be aboard a lot more yachts.”

People’s special double edition hits newsstands in the United States on Friday.