Paul Rudd has been named the Sexiest Man Alive 2021 by People Magazine.

The Ant-Man star said his wife was "stupefied" when he told her about the flashy new title, which he took from Michael B. Jordan who was crowned by the magazine last year.

The news was announced by Stephen Colbert on The Late Show, alongside a sketch showing Rudd undergoing tests on his attractiveness.

It ended with Rudd pouring a gallon of water over his head, saying: "Help me, I'm drowning in sexiness."

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After all the tests, Colbert told Rudd he "tested negative for sexy," and as the actor began to walk away in apparent disappointment after thanking Colbert for the opportunity, Colbert and a roomful of people dressed in white lab coats begin to clap.

"There's nothing sexier than humility... and you passed," Colbert said, adding: "Paul, you're the sexiest man alive."

"I'm the sexiest man alive?" Rudd exclaimed in shock as he covered his mouth before being crowned, given flowers and a beauty-pageant banner reading: "SEXIEST MAN ALIVE."

The 52-year-old told People: "I do have an awareness, enough to know that when people hear that I'd be picked for this, they would say, 'what?' This is not false humility. There are so many people that should get this before me."

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The star is famed for his youthful appearance and his films include Clueless, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and This Is 40.

When he told his wife of the award, Rudd explained: "She was stupefied. 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?"

Rudd has been married to wife Julie Yaeger since 2003. The pair share sons Jack, 17, and Darby, 12.

"When I think about myself, I think of myself as a husband and a father, like I'm that. I just hang out with my family when I'm not working. That's what I kind of like the most," he added.

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Rudd has portrayed Ant-Man in the Marvel blockbusters Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man And The Wasp, and Avengers: Endgame.

As well as his film career, the actor played Phoebe Buffay's boyfriend Mike Hannigan in hit sitcom Friends.

Previous holders of the sexiest man alive title include Hollywood heart-throbs Brad Pitt, Sir Sean Connery, Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Blake Shelton, John Legend, and Idris Elba.

Rudd's big break came in 1995 when he starred in teen comedy Clueless alongside Alicia Silverstone.

Featured image credit: PA Images / Alamy

Paul Rudd is named 'Sexiest Man Alive 2021' - and his reaction is hilarious