Paul Rudd has been named Sexiest Man Alive for 2021 by People magazine.

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The actor, 52, known for comedy films like Anchorman and his portrayal of Ant-Man in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, follows last year’s winner Michael B. Jordan to take the title.

Speaking to People about the honour, Rudd said: “I do have an awareness, enough to know that when people hear that I’d be picked for this, they would say, ‘What?’ This is not false humility. There are so many people that should get this before me.”

He’s expecting “so much grief” however from his circle of friends over the win.

Paul Rudd is PEOPLE's 2021 #SexiestManAlive! ? https://t.co/aweOKYwclx pic.twitter.com/PPxEaZo6Ty

— People (@people) November 10, 2021

“As they should. I would,” Rudd added. “I mean I’m going to lean into it hard. 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. But all of my friends will destroy me and I expect them to. And that’s why they’re my friends.”

He’s already received celebratory messages from former co-stars Seth Rogen and Mark Ruffalo. Sharing a picture of Rudd at Comic-Con on Twitter, Ruffalo wrote: “Is that Paul Rudd… #SexiestManAlive?! I knew this day would come.

“Congrats, man. I hope you continue to never age so you can continue to hold this title.”

Is that Paul Rudd…#SexiestManAlive?! I knew this day would come. Congrats, man ? I hope you continue to never age so you can continue to hold this title. https://t.co/OrD8OThrFn pic.twitter.com/54oUwHNmrh

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) November 10, 2021

No arguments here. https://t.co/Ad0GJBoIVa

— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) November 10, 2021

Ryan Reynolds, who earned the title back in 2010, also weighed in Rudd’s win during the Today show on Wednesday (November 10), joking that the opportunity “will be wasted on him”.

“I think that this opportunity will be wasted on him, like so many before him,” Reynolds said. “He’s going to play it shy. He’s going to play it bashful, humble. If I knew what I know now, I wouldn’t. You got to seize the opportunity.

“If I got it now, I’m not saying I would leave my family, but they would need to go on without me. I would roam the world clutching my dog-eared People magazine, going from town to town, sowing my wild oats like some sort of nude, magical gardener. It would be amazing.”

Rudd had his breakthrough role playing Mike Hannigan in Friends in 2002. He’s since starred in various Judd Apatow comedies, like Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up. In recent years he’s been defined by the role of Marvel’s Ant-Man, starring in standalone movies and crossover blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame.

His next projects include Apple TV+ series The Shrink Next Door opposite Will Ferrell, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife which releases in cinemas on November 19.