NEW YORK, November 19, 2014 – He continues to smite bad guys as a hammer-wielding Norse god in The Avengers, will fight off a terrorist hacker in Michael Mann’s upcoming cyber thriller, Blackhat, and battle a whale in Ron Howard’s In the Heart of the Sea, but there was no contest when it came to naming Aussie Chris Hemsworth PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive 2014. The actor, 31, thought it was “pretty funny” when he first heard the news — as did his wife, Spanish model, Elsa Pataky, 38, whom he wed in 2010. “I think you’ve bought me a couple of weeks of bragging rights around the house,” he tells PEOPLE in this week’s special double issue cover story. “I can just say to her, ‘Now remember, this is what the people think, so I don’t need to do the dishes anymore, I don’t need to change nappies. I’m above that. I’ve made it now.'”

 

The Australian-bred Hemsworth also reveals that he prefers to sleep sans pajamas, has a signature dance move (with a spin!) and would rather be home in Australia, where he and Pataky live with their three kids — daughter India, 2, and 8-month-old twin sons, Sasha and Tristan — than anywhere else. “We just had a big beach day with the kids, swimming and kicking the ball around,” he says. “That was the first time in a long time we’ve done that. That’s what it’s all about.” As for that ripped body, Hemsworth, who “puts on 20 lbs. of muscle” for his role as Thor, says he tries to be disciplined when it comes to his diet and exercise but looks forward to his cheat days. “Then it’s pizza, hamburgers, beer, sugary things,” he adds. “Everything I’m not allowed to have!” (Cover story, page 76)

 

“Men of the Year”: Actors, singers, and a certain galaxy guardian–these guys made a serious splash in 2014. Chris Pratt, Eddie Redmayne, Property Brothers, Billy Magnussen, Charlie Hunnam, Alfred Enoch, John Cho, Diego Klattenoff, Kit Harington, Teddy Sears, Matt Bomer, Matt Czuchry, Ki Hong Lee, Scott Foley, Tim Tebow, Michael B. Jordan, Seth Meyers, Michael Strahan, David Muir, Wes Bentley, and more.

 

“Facing Their Fears”: We asked Hollywood A-listers to tell us what scare them the most. Ben Affleck: “Coming off as an idiot during interviews.” Adam Levine: “Death. Because I love my life.” Jamie Foxx: “I’m afraid of not getting all my creative ideas out before I leave the planet.” Chris Rock: “To be silenced.” Hugh Jackman: “Losing my power to self-heal, of course!,” and many more.

 

“The Right Scruff”: You smooth? You lose. Scientific research says that heavy stubble is what people find sexy, especially on Joel McHale, Dylan McDermott, Ioan Gruffudd, and Terry Crews.

 

“Hottest Guys from Around the World”: A survey says these nine countries (plus the USA) produce the Sexiest Men: Australia (Liam Hemsworth, Alex O’Loughlin, Simon Baker, Eric Bana); Canada (Ryan Gosling, Nathan Fillion, Taylor Kitsch, Joshua Jackson, and more); Spain (Antonio Banderas, Javier Bardem, Mark Consuelos, Enrique Inglesias, and more); England (Hugh Dancy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Pattinson, Daniel Craig, Prince Harry, and more); Scotland (Ewan McGregor, James McAvoy, Gerard Butler, and more); Ireland (Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, Chris O’Dowd, Pierce Brosnan, and more); Italy (Antonio Sabato Jr., Bruno Tonioli, Ricardo Tisci, and more); Netherlands (Louis van Amstel, and more); Brazil (Bruno Campos, Eduardo Severin, and more)

 

For more on Chris Hemsworth and “Sexiest Man Alive” 2014, pick up PEOPLE’s 12-1-14 issue on newsstands for two weeks starting Friday, November 21. Please credit PEOPLE and link to www.PEOPLE.com/SMA for behind-the-scenes video and more.

 

 

About PEOPLE

 

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