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These 40+ Then and Now Pictures Show What the Most Desirable Man Alive Has Looked Like Since 1985
Each year, People magazine bestows the title of World’s Most Desirable Man on a musician or actor. With this title comes the adoration of millions of fans. From Mark Harmon to Tom Cruise, here are then-and-now pictures featuring what the most desirable man alive looked like when he won the award versus nowadays. Read on to see if your favorite actor or musician made the cut for the most desirable man.
Mark Harmon Then
While Mark Harmon's most famous role is as Leroy Gibbs in NCIS, it was his role in the 1982 series St. Elsewhere that earned him the title of Most Desirable Man Alive in 1986.
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The star went on to feature in four episodes of the law drama The West Wing, for which he earned an Emmy nomination for his dramatic role in the popular TV show that's the third-longest-running series currently on TV screens worldwide.
Mark Harmon Now
Harmon still looks pretty good today and probably still has women's tongues wagging worldwide. He only recently wrapped up his role on NCIS in 2021.
Shutterstock // DFree
Hopefully, he'll be cast in another role fast because we all need our fix of this fine specimen, and soon! It's the kind eyes for us.
Sean Connery Then
The very first actor to ever play the role of James Bond, Sean Connery won the hearts of women everywhere with his rugged features and thick Scottish accent. Born in Edinburgh, Connery started his acting career with a role in the 1954 movie Lilacs in the Spring.
He would play this role another seven times, each time gaining a bevy of new fans who couldn't get enough of this gorgeous Scotsman and his old-school Scottish charm.
Sean Connery Now
Younger fans will remember the actor for his roles in the movies The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Entrapment, and the classic, The Hunt for Red October, where he played submarine captain Marko Ramius.
Sean Connery sadly passed away in 2020 at the age of 90 due to a bout of pneumonia and a known heart condition, leaving behind a son and grandson.You'll be missed, Mr. Connery, Sean Connery.
Tom Cruise Then
It's hard to forget that cringy couch-jumping display on an episode of Oprah, but this is not what Tom Cruise is most famous for. Making his acting debut in 1983's Risky Business, the actor became a household name after he appeared in Top Gun in 1986.
This role made him known as one of Hollywood's greatest actors and earned him the title of People's Most Desirable Man Alive in 1990. Mr. Cruise had women around the world swooning with his boyish looks and captivating smile.
Tom Cruise Now
The star has, unfortunately, had some rather ugly breakups but is still acting and recently starred in the latest Top Gun movie, Maverick, which sees Cruise reprise his role of Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the long-awaited sequel to one of the best 80s movies of all time.
Shutterstock // Fred Duval
We simply can't wait to see what Tom Cruise has to offer in the upcoming years, as he takes on new and exciting roles in the upcoming Mission Impossible movies set to be released in 2023 and 2024.
Patrick Swayze Then
Everybody wished they had Patrick Swayze's dance moves as he starred in one of the world's most beloved movies, Dirty Dancing, in 1987. This role put Swayze on the map and in the hearts of women everywhere. People couldn't get enough of the hunky actor!
Facebook // Patrick Swayze - Always In Our Hearts
His role in the 1990 movie Ghost alongside Demi Moore sealed the deal, and he was named the Most Desirable Man Alive in 1991, a title that would gain him many more fans worldwide.
Patrick Swayze Now
Patrick Swayze, known for his roles in some of the most romantic movies of all time, passed away in Los Angeles, California, in September 2009 after a short but difficult battle with advanced pancreatic cancer.
The star was 57 years old and left behind his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi. The couple met in 1970 when Swayze was only 18 and had many happy years together. Patrick and Lisa had no children.
Nick Nolte Then
Golden Globe winner and Academy Award-winning actor, Nick Nolte's role in the movie The Prince of Tides in 1991 saw him winning People magazine's Most Desirable Man Alive title in 1992. The role scored Nolte a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.
Nolte went on to star in many more movies after his early 90s win, including Hulk and Tropic Thunder, which were both box-office greats.
Nick Nolte Now
Still acting today, Nolte has appeared in hit movies like 2018's The Padre and, most recently, in Rittenhouse Square, which was released in 2020 and sees the actor playing a homeless veteran trying desperately to overcome his dark path.
Shutterstock // Kathy Hutchins
Nick has certainly aged over the years but he still has some rugged features that made him one of Hollywood's hottest actors just a few decades ago.It'll be interesting to see how the actor's roles change as he was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Richard Gere Then
Anyone who has seen a Richard Gere movie will understand just why the hunky actor won the title of Most Desirable Man Alive in 1993. Richard Gere made a second appearance on People magazine's list as he was once again given the title in 1999.
Starring alongside Julia Roberts in the 1990 release of Pretty Women, Gere had thousands of hearts swooning and tongues wagging as he showed women just why older men are still considered very desirable.
Richard Gere Now
With movie roles like Runaway Bride, Autumn in New York, and Shall We Dance? under his belt, the hunky actor has millions of followers worldwide and is still seen as one of Hollywood's heartthrobs today. The actor has continued his acting career.
Shutterstock // lev radin
His fans are eagerly waiting to see just what their favorite actor will do next as he's set to star in 2023's Maybe I Do alongside Julia Roberts' niece, Emma Roberts. We hope this role is as successful as Pretty Woman was, and we're curious to see if the young Emma Roberts can follow in her famous aunt's footsteps.