He soared to fame in the Noughties playing the loveable nerd Jim Halpert in NBC’s The Office.
Yet two decades on from his breakthrough role, John Krasinski is far from the bookish office type and has transformed into an action hero hunk.
His ripped new look has seen him switch from starring in genteel romcoms like License to Wed to fronting action thrillers like Amazon Prime series Jack Ryan.
And his buff transformation has now landed him the coveted title of People magazine’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive, having been named on Tuesday’s episode of the Late Show with Steven Colbert.
So how did the handsome actor – who has admitted he ‘hates’ workouts – go from geek to Greek god?
Inside John Krasinski’s transformation from The Office geek (pictured in character) to action hero hunk as he’s named People magazine’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive
Krasinski told People he thought he was ‘being punked’ when he was told he won the title this year; but in recent years he’s bulked up (pictured in 2016 film 13 Hours)
Krasinski, 45, was named as People magazine’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive on the Late Show with Steven Colbert on Tuesday evening, taking over the title from Patrick Dempsey
Krasinski’s boy next door looks helped him land his 2005 role in The Office as a nerdy, under-achieving office worker with a crush on the receptionist – the part played by Martin Freeman in the UK version.
It was a role he played for eight years, and he admitted life had been ‘really weird’ in the months after the mockumentary finished.
‘It’s hard… to not only let go of a show like that and a character like that, but to me – you know, I got the job when I was 23 years old,’ Krasinski said. ‘It’s an era of my life that I’m missing now.’
He showed a different side to himself in 2008, when he appeared with Renée Zellweger and George Clooney in the latter’s directorial venture Leatherheads, a period comedy about the early years of professional American football.
He played Carter ‘the Bullet’ Rutherford, Princeton University’s college football star and a decorated hero of the First World War.
Krasinski was praised for his performance, described as ‘an actor who’s able to project both boyish warmth and intellectual concern’.
He auditioned to play Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger but he ultimately lost out to Chris Evans.
Krasinski went so far as to do a costume table read; but revealed that the sight of Hemsworth in costume as Thor made him realize he was out of his depth.
However, he opted to bulk up for his 2016 role in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, where he played a former US Navy Seal tasked with defending an American diplomatic compound in Libya against a wave of terrorist attacks.
Krasinski auditioned to play Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger but he ultimately lost out to Chris Evans (pictured)
In 2018, Krasinski landed an action role that kept him in shape. He played CIA analyst Jack Ryan in the titular series, who is wrenched from the security of his desk job into the field
Krasinski has also starred alongside his wife Emily Blunt in his horror film series, A Quiet Place
Reflecting on losing out on his Marvel role, Krasinski told Men’s Health: ‘Someone in the Marvel world or the leading-man world said to me, “Hollywood can’t imagine you doing it until you do it. And once they see it, it can’t be unseen by them”. And that’s exactly what happened to me.
‘When I went out for Captain America, people were like, “Really?” Then I did 13 Hours, and people are like, “Okay, yeah, you can do these roles now.”
‘I’m like, “You don’t care about the acting? You just care about the physical shape?” And they’re like, “Correct.”
He admitted becoming addicted to working out while getting in shape for 13 Hours.
It changed his outlook permanently, with Krasinski revealing he maintains his figure by staying within ‘three weeks’ of his peak ripped physique.
He explained: ‘I remember my trainer saying, “Try to stay within three weeks, so that whatever part you get, within three weeks we can get you down,” he said. ‘That’s the goal, to be able to shift back and forth.
‘I think that’s better than saying, “Stay ripped your whole life.” Because that’s really annoying, and the people who do it really easily annoy me,’ he added. ‘Yes, I’m talking to you, Chris Hemsworth.’
In 2018, Krasinski landed another action role that kept him in shape.
He played CIA analyst Jack Ryan in the titular series, who is wrenched from the security of his desk job into the field.
Krasinski has also starred alongside his wife Emily Blunt in his horror film series, A Quiet Place.
While she will have seen firsthand her husband’s physical transformation at play, Blunt still had a hilarious reaction to Krasinski’s Sexiest Man Alive title.
Speaking about the honour on the Late Show he told Colbert that the only people that knew he won were his wife Emily and Matt Damon.
He added: ‘That’s not how I wake up, thinking, “Is this the day that I’ll be asked to be Sexiest Man Alive?” And yet it was the day you guys did it. You guys have really raised the bar for me.’
He also gushed about his wife, saying: ‘It’s that beautiful thing where when you’re married to someone, you’re constantly learning and changing and evolving. And I’m so lucky to go through all that with her.’
The actor went on to joke that his new title won’t help him at home, and will make him do ‘more household chores’: ‘She’ll be like, “All right, that means you’re going to really earn it here at home.”‘
John also revealed Emily, 41, was ‘very excited’ to learn he was named Sexiest Man Alive, adding, ‘There was a lot of joy involved in me telling her’; the pair seen in 2024
After the actor was announced as the Sexiest Man Alive, fans had a divided reaction on social media; Pictured on the Late Show on Tuesday
The heartthrob, 45, dethroned the 2023 winner, Grey’s Anatomy hunk Patrick Dempsey, 58, for the coveted title.
Krasinski told People he thought he was ‘being punked’ when he was told he won the title this year.
The actor also revealed his wife, 41, was ‘very excited’ to learn he was named Sexiest Man Alive, adding, ‘There was a lot of joy involved in me telling her.’
After Krasinski was announced as this year’s winner, fans had a divided reaction on social media.
‘John Krasinski sexiest man alive? Hmmmm I’m not sure,’; ‘John Krasinski People’s sexiest man alive? I must be missing something.’; ‘I’m so disappointed it’s not even funny. I stayed up till midnight for this bulls**t.’; ‘John Krasinski???? not ryan gosling!!????’
Another commentator shared a photo of John’s wife Emily crying in a still from the film The Devil Wears Prada, and wrote, ‘only his wife thinks that.’
‘This is worse than benny blanco to me, like giving it to a slice of bread,’; ‘We really are in the worst timeline possible.’
However, others had more positive reactions. ‘Oh come be nice, I think he’s sexy.. maybe not sexiest.. but he is smart and funny.’
After Krasinski was announced as this year’s winner, fans had a divided reaction online
Krasinski and Colbert also taped a humorous 80s themed video meant to instruct the talk show host of how to go from ‘goofy, lovable, boy-nextdoor to big, dumb sex hunk.’
Krasinski then described the six steps, which included eliminating bad snacks, eating raw eggs, as well as getting a DNA swab from prior Sexiest Man Alive winner Chris Evans.
Evans hilariously made a cameo in the clip, with Colbert surprising him with a cheek swab.
Krasinski is best known for his role as Jim Halpert in the popular TV series The Office, which ran from 2005-2013.
He also famously starred in Michael Bay’s 13 Hours (2016) and Prime Video series Jack Ryan (2018-2023).
Recently he’s been making a name for himself as a director with the horror films A Quiet Place (2018) and A Quiet Place Part II (2020) as well as IF (2024).
He’s been married to Blunt since 2010. The couple share two daughters: Hazel, 10 and Violet, seven.
John revealed the only people that knew he won were his wife Emily and Matt Damon
John and Colbert also taped a humorous 80s themed video meant to instruct the talk show host of how to go from ‘goofy, lovable, boy-nextdoor to big, dumb sex hunk’
Evans hilariously made a cameo in the clip, with Colbert surprising him with a cheek swab
Colbert has previously bestowed the title — chosen based on physical attractiveness, charisma, and cultural impact — on Paul Rudd in 2021, after subjecting him to a number of hilarious sexy man tests.
The crown was then handed off to Captain America star Chris Evans, 43.
Another hunk featured in this year’s issue was Selena Gomez’s boyfriend Benny Blanco.
The Grammy-nominated producer, 36, happily discussed his secrets to success in life and love, and dished on his romantic mornings with the actress, 32, in the article.
After it was revealed that he would be part of the issue, fans had a mixed response.
Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Richard Gere have all been crowned Sexiest Man Alive twice.
Other past winners include Michael B. Jordan (2020), John Legend (2019), Idris Elba (2018), Blake Shelton (2017), Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson (2016), David Beckham (2015), Chris Hemsworth (2014), Adam Levine (2013), Channing Tatum (2012), Bradley Cooper (2011) and Ryan Reynolds (2010).
The earlier decade in the 2000s brought forward wins by Johnny Depp (2009), Hugh Jackman (2008), Matt Damon (2007), George Clooney (2006), Matthew McConaughey (2005), Jude Law (2004), Johnny Depp (2003), Ben Affleck (2002), Pierce Brosnan (2001) and Brad Pitt (2000).
The heartthrob dethroned 2023 winner, Grey’s Anatomy hunk Patrick Dempsey , 58, for the coveted title; Dempsey seen in December 2023 in London
Another hunk featured in this year’s issue was Selena Gomez’s boyfriend Benny Blanco, 36, who sparked a mixed reaction from fans; seen in 2024
People magazine named its first Sexiest Man Alive in February 1985 when it picked then 29-year-old Mel Gibson for the honor
The 1990s brought covers for Richard Gere (1999), Harrison Ford (1998), George Clooney (1997), Denzel Washington (1996), Brad Pitt (1995), Nick Nolte (1992), the late Patrick Swayze (1991) and Tom Cruise (1990).
There was no winner named in 1994 and then-couple Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford was named the Sexiest Couple Alive in 1993.
The first decade of the annual honor, the 1980s, saw the Sexiest Man Alive named as the late Sean Connery in 1989, the late John F. Kennedy, Jr. in 1988, Harry Hamlin in 1987, and Mark Harmon in 1986.
People magazine named its first Sexiest Man Alive in February 1985 when it picked then 29-year-old Mel Gibson for the honor.
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