Johnny Depp, the sexiest man alive

Photo from ATempletonPhoto.com via Flickr

On Wednesday People magazine named Johnny Depp “The Sexiest Man Alive.” He now joins Brad Pitt and George Clooney, the only other two time “Sexiest Man Alive” titleholders. Johnny Depp, 46, is unmarried and a father of two. His previous win was back in 2003.

The choice of Depp, who kept a low profile in 2009, was somewhat of a surprise since People’s choice for sexiest man is usually someone who has had a major movie release that year.

It’s really not that much of a surprise, considering his ability to charm and attract us in his wide array of roles.  Often these characters are very odd roles, indeed. Whether he’s a drunk pirate, the strange Willie Wonka, the spooky Sweeney Todd, or even Edward Scissorhands—this man is pure pleasure for the eyes (maybe less so in Willie Wonka, but you get the point). His versatility to be irresistible in any role makes Depp an obvious pick for People’s SMA.

And it’s not just the looks. His inspiration and devotion to his family make him all the more endearing. “I could sit there all day and do nothing but watch them grow,” he’s said of children Lily-Rose, 10, and Jack, 7, according to People.

Photo from nicogenin via Flickr

Robert Pattinson, known for his role as Edward Cullen in “Twilight,” was also in the running for SMA. It’s true that Pattinson is above and beyond the average sexy man, but, according to People, editors decided to opt for Depp because of his long-standing impeccable good looks that have withstood the test of time.

People’s very first SMA was awarded to Mel Gibson in 1985, and with the exception of 1994 when no winner was named, People has continued to bestow the honor every year since. Last year, Hugh Jackman of “X Men Origins” was named the sexiest man.

In this year’s issue, other featured men include the incredibly talented musician John Legend, who has a sexy voice to go with that nice appearance of his, and Gilles Marini, the shirtless hunk we didn’t get to see quite enough of in “Sex and the City.”

Along with Depp, Ryan Renolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Adam Lambert, and of course Pattinson, are featured in the issue. Besides the SMA section, other playful categories include the “Vampire Awards,” “Waking up in Vegas,” and “My life in a speedo.”

Be sure to look out for more Johnny Depp with the releases of “Alice in Wonderland” in 2010 and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” in 2011.