Paul Rudd named People's Sexiest Man Alive

Paul Rudd has been named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive.

During an episode of Late Night with Stephen Colbert, the host announced that the 52-year-old actor had earned the title after speculation that his fellow Marvel star Chris Evans had been picked for this year's honour.

In the accompanying interview, Rudd told People that he kept the secret under lock and key, only revealing the news to his wife, Julie Yaeger.

"She was stupefied," the Ant-Man star recalled. "But you know she was very sweet about it. After some giggling and shock, she said 'Oh, they got it right.' And that was very sweet. She was probably not telling the truth, but what's she going to say?"

Now that he has earned the title, which was held by Michael B. Jordan for the past year, the actor joked that his life was about to change "a lot".

"I'm hoping now that I'll finally be invited to some of those sexy dinners with (George) Clooney and (Brad) Pitt and (Michael) B Jordan," Rudd said. "And I figure I'll be on a lot more yachts. I'm excited to expand my yachting life. And I'll probably try to get better at brooding in really soft light. I like to ponder. I think this is going to help me become more inward and mysterious. And I'm looking forward to that."

Rudd and Yaeger have been married since 2003 and they share two children.