David Corenswet playfully mocks Jonathan Bailey about being People's Sexiest Man Alive

The rise of actors Jonathan Bailey and David Corenswet has created one of the most charming pairings to appear in Variety and CNN’s Actors on Actors this season. Both actors entered 2025 with major releases, expanding fanbases, and an unusual shared experience: becoming unexpected heartthrobs after years of steady theater and TV work. Their conversation, released on December 8, 2025, highlighted that journey with humor, affection, and a surprising amount of grounded honesty.

Though the interview covered everything from physical transformation to acting philosophy, one moment stole the spotlight. Corenswet’s playfully teased Bailey, who is openly gay, about being crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive. It was a rare exchange where both men dropped the polished press-tour exterior and leaned into their natural camaraderie. And it became a highlight from this Actors on Actors cycle.

A teasing moment from the duo’s Actors on Actors appearance

During their Actors on Actors conversation, one moment quickly became the centerpiece of the discussion. When Jonathan Bailey’s recent title of People’s Sexiest Man Alive came up, David Corenswet handled it with a mix of sincerity and mischievous humor, easing into the topic with a perfectly timed jab.

Corenswet looked at Bailey and asked:

“As the man, and as Sexy Man — and that’s not me saying that — which magazine does Sexiest Man Alive?”

Bailey, barely holding in laughter, replied:

“All of them. Horse & Hound.”

Only then did Corenswet deliver the actual joke, not about the title itself, but about Bailey’s Wicked: For Good levitation scene, where Cynthia Erivo lifts him during a duet:

“Anyway, Sexiest Man Alive, you are carried by Cynthia… Every man out there would think there’s no way you can look masculine and powerful and in control when you’re being levitated by a woman… and you maintained your masculinity. Well done, mate.”

Presented in full, the exchange shows why it resonated so widely. It wasn’t mean-spirited or overly self-aware, it was two actors who respect each other enough to poke fun without deflating the moment. Corenswet’s delivery made it clear the teasing came from admiration, not mockery, and Bailey’s ease with it underscored the comfort between them.

Bailey, laughing and slightly overwhelmed, handled the teasing with self-deprecating charm. Later in the interview, when Corenswet asked: 

“So how do you top Sexiest Man Alive?” 

Bailey replied simply: 

“Ugliest.”

This exchange didn’t trend just because it was funny, but also because it revealed the genuine admiration between the two actors. Both have been navigating fame on an unexpected scale, and both seem determined not to let any “heartthrob” branding define them.

David Corenswet’s grounded rise: From theater kid to Superman

The playful moment also reminded fans how unlikely Corenswet’s own ascent has been. Though David Corenswet now leads the new DC Universe as Clark Kent, his path began on Philadelphia stages at age nine. By his teens, he was performing Shakespeare; by his twenties, he had graduated from Juilliard and was writing and producing his own projects.

His breakout screen roles came through Ryan Murphy with The Politician and Hollywood, followed by standout performances in We Own This City, Pearl, and Netflix’s Look Both Ways. But the industry shifted for him in June 2023, when James Gunn cast him as Superman and trusted him with the first film in the rebooted DCU.

Looking ahead, Corenswet is set to reprise his role as Clark Kent/Superman in Man of Tomorrow (2027) and also star in Jonathan Levine’s Mr. Irrelevant. He has expressed interest in eventually writing and directing, hinting that he may step behind the camera sooner rather than later.

Actors on Actors featuring David Corenswet and Jonathan Bailey is available on Variety’s YouTube channel and CNN’s streaming platform.