Two men. One room. A conversation that hasn’t even happened yet but already has millions of people in absolute shambles.
When Variety announced the lineup for Season 23 of their Emmy winning Actors on Actors series, they knew exactly what they were doing. Leonardo DiCaprio with Jennifer Lawrence? Sure, iconic. Julia Roberts and Sean Penn? Lovely reunion. Ariana Grande and Adam Sandler? Adorable contrast.
But then they dropped the bomb that sent social media into a complete tailspin. Jonathan Bailey, freshly crowned People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive 2025, sitting across from David Corenswet, the brand new face of Superman who just saved the DC Universe with his July 2025 blockbuster.
The announcement alone generated more thirst tweets than a summer heatwave. Fans started manifesting. Timelines exploded. Group chats went wild. And all of this happened days before the actual interview aired on December 7, 2025.
One pairing. Infinite chaos. And honestly? Variety knew exactly what kind of fire they were starting.
When Sexy Meets Super
Let’s break down why this particular combination has people losing their collective minds.
Jonathan Bailey is having the year of his entire life. The 37 year old British actor went from stealing scenes as Lord Anthony Bridgerton on Netflix to earning an Emmy nomination for Fellow Travelers to absolutely dominating the big screen as Prince Fiyero in Wicked. The first film became a cultural phenomenon in 2024, and the sequel Wicked: For Good, which hit theaters November 21, 2025, turned into an emotional victory lap that had audiences sobbing in IMAX theaters worldwide.
Then came the People magazine announcement on November 3, 2025. Jimmy Fallon revealed live on The Tonight Show that Bailey had been named Sexiest Man Alive 2025, taking the crown from John Krasinski. The actor’s response? Pure charm mixed with British self deprecation. It’s a huge honor, he told the magazine. Obviously I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd.
His Wicked costars immediately jumped on social media wearing sweatshirts printed with his Sexiest Man Alive photoshoot pictures. Cynthia Erivo wrote that the world now knows what she’s known all along. Ariana Grande reposted his cover. The entire cast united to give him awards like looks best in a singlet while doing gymnastics.
Meanwhile, David Corenswet was busy saving an entire cinematic universe.
Share this with your friend who’s been crushing on both of them.
The Superman Nobody Saw Coming
David Corenswet’s casting as Superman was announced in June 2023, and the reactions were immediate. Who? many people asked. The 32 year old actor had appeared in projects like Pearl, The Politician, and We Own This City, but this would be his first major leading role in a studio blockbuster.
Director James Gunn knew what he was doing. After watching Corenswet’s performance in the 2022 film Pearl, Gunn became convinced he’d found his Clark Kent. The audition process was intense. Multiple screen tests. Months of speculation. Names like Glen Powell and Nicholas Hoult floating around as contenders.
But Corenswet landed the role that would define his career. Gunn’s vision for Superman positioned the character around 25 years old, more established than Tom Welling’s Smallville version but younger than Henry Cavill’s DCEU portrayal. The film, simply titled Superman, was set to kickstart the entire DC Universe slate, which included plans for a new Batman film and The Authority.
When Superman hit theaters on July 11, 2025, it received widespread critical praise. Corenswet’s performance opposite Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane earned rave reviews. The film featured Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Nathan Fillion, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, and Isabela Merced in supporting roles. It became a massive global hit and proved that Gunn’s gamble on a relatively unknown actor had paid off spectacularly.
Suddenly, David Corenswet was everywhere. Red carpets. Magazine covers. Fan edits flooding TikTok. The man who few people knew six months earlier had become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars overnight.
The Pairing That Broke The Internet Before It Aired
On December 3, 2025, Variety and CNN revealed the full lineup for Actors on Actors Season 23. The series, which has been running for over two decades, pairs the year’s best performers for intimate conversations about their craft, their careers, and their experiences in the industry.
Each conversation would debut daily over 13 days, airing on CNN at 9:00 AM ET before releasing on Variety’s YouTube channel at 3:00 PM ET. The pairings included heavyweight combinations. Gwyneth Paltrow with Jacob Elordi. Michael B. Jordan reuniting with his Friday Night Lights costar Jesse Plemons. Kate Hudson and Jeremy Allen White. Colin Farrell with Jessie Buckley.
But when fans saw that Jonathan Bailey and David Corenswet were scheduled for December 7, the reaction was instantaneous and overwhelming.
LGBTQ Twitter immediately went into full meltdown mode. Girl dinner, one Reddit user posted with zero elaboration needed. Another fan wrote, So much hotness in that room, capturing the sentiment that millions were feeling. The combination of the Sexiest Man Alive and the new Superman sitting across from each other discussing their blockbuster franchise films felt almost too good to be true.
One particularly observant fan noted that both actors are huge musical theater enthusiasts, predicting their chemistry would be fantastic based on shared passions. Another posted, Did anyone else catch David, a straight married man, laughing like a little girl when Jonathan Bailey was around him? referencing behind the scenes moments from various events where the two had crossed paths.
The anticipation built to fever pitch. Fans started creating countdown posts. Memes flooded timelines. People began manifesting the kind of banter and charm they hoped would unfold.
Tag someone who needs to clear their schedule for December 7.
What Makes Actors On Actors So Special
For those unfamiliar with the series, Actors on Actors isn’t your typical promotional interview. There’s no journalist asking questions. No scripted talking points. It’s literally just two actors sitting across from each other, having a genuine conversation about their work.
The format has produced some of the most memorable moments in entertainment interview history. Stars open up in ways they don’t elsewhere. They geek out over each other’s performances. They share vulnerable stories about rejection, anxiety, and the challenges of the industry. They laugh. Sometimes they cry. And viewers get an unfiltered glimpse into the artistic process behind the performances they love.
Season 23 marks the first collaboration between Variety and CNN for the series, expanding its reach to broadcast television while maintaining its YouTube presence. The annual print edition of Actors on Actors would hit newsstands on December 17, 2025, giving fans a keepsake version of the conversations.
The Emmy winning franchise has featured everyone from Meryl Streep to Timothée Chalamet, Viola Davis to Tom Hanks. It’s become a prestigious platform that signals which actors are having breakthrough years and which performances are dominating awards conversations.
The Wicked Phenomenon
To understand why Jonathan Bailey’s half of this pairing matters so much, you need to understand the cultural juggernaut that Wicked became.
The first film, directed by Jon M. Chu, arrived in theaters in 2024 and became an instant phenomenon. Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, and Jonathan Bailey as Prince Fiyero formed a love triangle that had audiences invested from the opening notes. The film’s success was so massive that Universal split the story into two parts, with Wicked: For Good serving as the emotional conclusion.
Bailey’s portrayal of Fiyero, the prince who proudly urges fellow students to join him in his shallowness before evolving into something deeper, earned him widespread acclaim. His performance of Dancing Through Life became one of the film’s most memorable sequences. His chemistry with both Erivo and Grande created genuine romantic tension that kept audiences guessing.
When Wicked: For Good premiered on November 21, 2025, Bailey described it as an emotional victory lap. The sequel picks up in the aftermath of the first film, concluding the love triangle and delivering the story’s most powerful moments. Ethan Slater as Boq, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, and Michelle Yeoh in a supporting role all delivered standout performances that critics praised.
Bailey promoted the film relentlessly, making surprise appearances at screenings worldwide. On November 23, 2025, he showed up unannounced at a sold out IMAX screening in Sydney, Australia, just hours after landing in the country. I’ve just landed in Aus, he joked to the screaming crowd, making a pun on the land of Oz. I thought why not end the press tour for Wicked: For Good back where it started?
The dedication paid off. The film became a massive global success, cementing Bailey’s status as a bonafide movie star.
Don’t miss out on seeing Wicked: For Good before everyone spoils it.
The Superman That Saved DC
David Corenswet’s Superman arrival couldn’t have come at a better time for DC. After years of false starts, creative disputes, and underperforming films, the studio needed a win. James Gunn, fresh off his success with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy at Marvel, was tasked with rebooting the entire DC Universe and starting fresh.
Superman was positioned as the foundation for everything to come. If it failed, the entire slate of planned films would be in jeopardy. If it succeeded, DC could finally compete with Marvel’s dominance.
The pressure on Corenswet was enormous. He was stepping into a role previously played by Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, and Henry Cavill. Each brought something different to the character, and each version had passionate defenders. Comparisons would be inevitable and brutal.
Gunn’s approach focused on Superman’s inherent goodness and optimism rather than the darker, more conflicted versions recent films had explored. Corenswet had to embody hope, strength, and vulnerability simultaneously. He had to make audiences believe a man could fly while also believing in his humanity.
When the film opened in July 2025, the reviews were glowing. Critics praised Corenswet’s performance as capturing the essence of Superman while bringing fresh energy to the character. His chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane felt authentic and modern. Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor provided a compelling villain. The action sequences delivered spectacle without sacrificing character development.
The box office numbers exceeded expectations. Superman became one of the summer’s biggest hits, proving that audiences were ready to embrace this new version of the character. Suddenly, the entire DC Universe slate felt viable. Batman: The Brave and The Bold moved forward with Andy Muschietti directing. The Authority got greenlit. The franchise Gunn envisioned was actually happening.
And David Corenswet went from relative unknown to the face of a billion dollar franchise in the span of a few months.
What To Expect From The Interview
While the actual conversation hasn’t aired yet as of this writing, fans are already predicting what might unfold when Bailey and Corenswet sit down together.
Both actors are navigating similar experiences. They’ve both stepped into massive franchise roles with devoted fanbases and high expectations. They’ve both dealt with intense scrutiny and pressure. They’ve both emerged as breakout stars of 2025. And they’ve both earned praise for bringing depth and humanity to characters that could easily have been one dimensional.
The shared ground suggests the conversation will explore the challenges of franchise filmmaking. How do you maintain artistic integrity while serving commercial interests? How do you handle the weight of fan expectations? How do you find moments of genuine emotion in films dominated by spectacle?
Bailey’s background in theater, including his recent Shakespeare work in Richard II, combined with Corenswet’s indie film experience before Superman, suggests they’ll discuss the differences between intimate character work and blockbuster storytelling.
And of course, fans are hoping for lighter moments too. Bailey’s charm is legendary. His ability to be simultaneously earnest and self deprecating makes him an engaging interview subject. Corenswet, in his limited public appearances, has shown similar qualities, a midwestern genuineness that contrasts beautifully with superhero gravitas.
The fact that both are musical theater enthusiasts adds another layer. Will they bond over favorite shows? Discuss the possibility of future musical projects? Share embarrassing audition stories?
Whatever unfolds, the internet will be watching. And dissecting. And creating memes. And absolutely losing its mind over every gesture, every laugh, every moment of connection between two of Hollywood’s hottest stars.
Set your reminders because this is must watch television.
The Bigger Picture
The Bailey and Corenswet pairing represents something larger than just two attractive actors having a conversation. It symbolizes the shifting landscape of Hollywood stardom in 2025.
Both men represent a new generation of leading men. They’re talented actors who earned their roles through auditions and craft rather than social media followings or family connections. They’re willing to take risks on projects that could define or destroy their careers. They’re thoughtful about representation and the cultural impact of their work.
Bailey, as an openly gay actor playing romantic leads and being celebrated as Sexiest Man Alive, represents progress in an industry that historically marginalized LGBTQ performers. His success challenges outdated notions about who can be a movie star and who audiences will accept in romantic roles.
Corenswet’s casting as Superman, choosing a relatively unknown actor over established names, signals a willingness to prioritize performance over brand recognition. It’s a gamble that paid off and might encourage studios to take similar risks in the future.
Together, they represent hope for a film industry that sometimes feels dominated by algorithms, franchises, and safe bets. They prove that genuine talent, hard work, and the right role at the right time can still launch careers in spectacular fashion.
The Final Word
When Jonathan Bailey and David Corenswet sit down for Actors on Actors on December 7, 2025, millions of people will be watching. Some for the craft discussion. Some for the eye candy. Most for a combination of both.
The pairing feels like a gift to fans who’ve supported both actors through their journeys. It’s a conversation between the Sexiest Man Alive and the newest Superman. Between Prince Fiyero and Clark Kent. Between two men who’ve earned every bit of success they’re experiencing.
Variety knew exactly what they were doing with this one. They created anticipation. They sparked conversation. They gave people something to look forward to during a busy awards season packed with serious dramas and weighty topics.
Sometimes you just need two charming, talented, ridiculously attractive actors talking about their craft. Sometimes that’s enough. And sometimes, that’s everything.
Drop a comment about who you’re more excited to watch, Bailey or Corenswet, and why. Better yet, share this with everyone you know who needs this interview in their life. Trust us, they’ll thank you later. And mark your calendar for December 7 because missing this would be a crime against good taste.
