Image: Jonathan Bailey/Instagram
People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2025, Jonathan Bailey, is the highest-grossing box office star of 2025, something most Hollywood stars only dream of and strive for.
The Bridgerton favourite and openly gay actor, who plays charming Prince Fiyero in Wicked: For Good, has been named the highest-grossing box office star of 2025, thanks to a blockbuster year that’s seen him in the leading cast of two major franchises that have hit theatres this past year.
Wicked: For Good, the second film in the hit musical film series, has reportedly grossed USD $226 million globally on its opening weekend. Additionally, the film brought in USD $147 million at the domestic box office. The film has set a record as the biggest opening weekend ever for a Broadway stage-to-screen adaptation.
The first Wicked film earned US$759 million worldwide, and many expect the fan-favourite sequel to land high up on this year’s top-ten list as it continues to run in theatres around the world.
Bailey’s charming and eye-catching performance and personality as Prince Fiyero was only half of his journey to taking over as the year’s box office celeb.
In July 2025, the British heartthrob also joined the Jurassic World universe as palaeontologist Dr Henry Loomis in Jurassic World: Rebirth, which has grossed around US$868 million worldwide. Jurassic World: Rebirth ranks fourth, behind Ne Zha 2, the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake, and A Minecraft Movie, as 2025’s highest-grossing film.
A milestone for the LGBTQ+ community
The actor’s high box-office moment is a significant moment for LGBTQ+ visibility in the mainstream film industry.
For years, LGBTQ+ actors and Bailey himself have been warned that coming out could cost them leading roles. These pieces of advice were given to him by queer men in the industry. Bailey shared in 2020 with the Hollywood Reporter that he feels pressure to prove himself as “excellent” as a known gay actor in big franchises. Pressure he’s clearly living up to in 2025.
Adding to his and the LGBTQ+ community’s wins is the fact that Bailey was named 2025’s Sexiest Man Alive, marking the first time an openly gay man has taken the title and appeared on the cover. His Wicked co-star Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, cheered him on in an Instagram post calling him “the kindest and most beautiful”, and his other co-star, Marissa Bode, who plays Nessarose, commented, “those abs.”
This month, Bailey also appeared on Sesame Street, alongside Elmo, before dancing with long-time queer icons Bert and Ernie in an iconic and joyful cameo that delighted viewers of all ages.
For the LGBTQ+ community, the British actor’s 2025 takeover feels more than just a lucky year. It represents that queer talents can be part of the leading casts in blockbuster franchises, entertain audiences, and be featured on the jaw-dropping covers of magazines.
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