Dwayne Johnson Still Amazed By Sexiest Man Alive Title

Dwayne Johnson isn’t shy about proclaiming his eternal reign as PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive. At 51, the charismatic actor and entrepreneur humorously asserts, “I’ve been saying it since birth: I am, in fact, the sexiest man alive,” in his trademark good-natured style.

“I’m actually the only one who has it in perpetuity,” he added.

Reflecting on his stint as the Sexiest Man Alive in 2016, Dwayne fondly recalls the shoot as a “full-circle moment.” Returning to his roots in Hawaii for the photo session brought him immense joy, surrounded by the mana and aloha spirit of his homeland. For Johnson, who spent his teenage years in Honolulu, the opportunity to work with a local crew was especially meaningful.

As he shared, “The best part about it was that I got to go back home to Hawaii to shoot it. I’m there on the beach — the mana, the spirit, the aloha spirit. I’m looking at our all-local crew: all our Polynesian boys and girls working hard. That was so cool.”

But the journey to fame and recognition wasn’t always smooth for Dwayne. Recounting his past struggles, he reveals, “I was kicked off the island, we were evicted as a family, because we couldn’t pay the rent.” 

Returning years later as a successful Hollywood star was a fulfilling moment for him, as he said, “So years later, to be able to go back to Hawaii and shoot Sexiest Man Alive? George Clooney, Patrick Swayze and then, years later, this big, bald, brown, tattooed guy? Thank you.” 

Despite his numerous achievements in Hollywood and beyond, Dwayne remains grounded. From joining the board of directors of TKO Group Holdings to launching his skincare line, Papatui, he continues to push boundaries in his career. With global box office earnings exceeding $5 billion, he’s a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry.

Looking ahead, Dwayne has an exciting lineup of projects, including The Smashing Machine, a biopic, and a live-action adaptation of Moana for Disney. Not to mention his upcoming Christmas-themed action-comedy, Red One, alongside Chris Evans, PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive 2022.

In typical Dwayne Johnson fashion, he shares a lighthearted exchange with Chris, jokingly reminding him of his perpetual Sexiest Man Alive status. “My conversations with my fellow SMAs are always the same,” he quips, adding, “I said ‘congratulations, welcome to the club, but just so you know — you guys have it for a year, but I have it for life.’”