HE'S RUDDY GORGEOUS!

The funny man has come a long way from a goofball to sexiest man alive – we look at Paul Rudd’s rise to success

- LAVERN DE VRIES

HE’S cute, yes. Funny, sure. Aging well, absolutely. But sexy? A heart-throb? Come on.

This was the general reaction when the news broke that Paul Rudd had been named People’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2021, propelling him into the same sexy stratosphere as previous winners Michael B Jordan, Idris Elba, Brad Pitt and Ryan Reynolds.

Even Paul’s wife, Julie Yaeger Rudd, couldn’t believe it.

She was “stupefied”, Paul admits. “After some giggling and shock she told me, ‘Oh, they got it right’. She was probably not telling the truth but what’s she going to say?”

As for Paul, he couldn’t be more delighted. “I’m going to lean into it hard,” he says. “I’m going to own this. I’m not going to try to be like, ‘Oh, I’m so modest’. I’m getting business cards made.”

And it’s this self-deprecating sense of humour that’s helped him – after the initial shock – become a popular winner of the hottest guy on two legs title.

People who have worked with the 52-year-old actor say he’s one of nicest guys around and his legions of fans have declared him the internet’s perfect boyfriend. He’s kind, he’s smart and he can make you laugh.

The Guardian summed up Paul’s appeal perfectly: “He’s both square-jawed and soft, like he could both seduce you and help with the broken toilet in the morning.”

And really, what more could you possibly want?