40 Zaddies Over 40 Fans Can't Get Enough Of

In summer 2021, Dictionary.com added the word "zaddy" as an official new word in the English language. It is also a word on Merriam-Webster's radar, as they have published at least one blog post analyzing the word's meaning and evolution. Suffice it to say, the term has made its way into mainstream culture — and we are here to apply it to our favorite place, Hollywood. But let's back up for a second and define the term zaddy for anyone who has been living under a rock for the last few years.

According to Dictionary.com, a zaddy is "an attractive man who is also stylish, charming, and self-confident." The comments on Urban Dictionary similarly allude to a man who is fashionable and has swagger, or what some might call "Big D*ck Energy." Zaddies also tend to be men of a certain age. Though the term is often used to refer to men in at least their 30s, that is not a hard rule (see: Harry Styles). Still, some of our favorite zaddies are those who are over age 40, and we are not alone in that. Here are 40 zaddies over 40 that fans just can't get enough of.

In May 2018, Men's Health claimed that actor James Marsden was "having a moment," but let's not pretend like fans have not been gaga for the man for years and years. He was named Elle's "Man of the Week" back in 2013, but has been acting since 1993. A one-time Versace model who actually has talent and charisma, Marsden was destined for stardom. Whether playing a mutant superhero in "X-Men" or a literal Prince in "Enchanted," he always makes a strong mark — and we are not just talking about his piercing blue eyes or amazingly sculpted jaw. The fact that he looks pretty much the same as he did a decade ago has not gone unnoticed either, which has prompted outlets to call him "eternally youthful" and media personality Greg Miller to ask why he does not seem to be aging at all.

Marsden has been referred to as a zaddy by Buzzfeed, and can make a best dressed list even if he is simply wearing jeans, a tee, and a bomber jacket. Though Marsden credited his stylist for his good fashion sense in an article for The Hollywood Reporter, we highly doubt she is putting together his day-to-day streetwear look. And even if he is not the one picking out his clothes, the way he wears them screams self-assurance and coolness. To this day, Marsden is even showing up his son Jack — a model in his early 20s.

Everyone knows Jon Hamm is a major zaddy, so it is no surprise that Jezebel listed him on their 2017 list of Hollywood zaddies. He is also on a list cultivated by The New Zealand Herald that same year. If anything, Hamm has only gotten hotter and more charming since, so he absolutely belongs on our own list. When Hamm launched to fame playing Don Draper on "Mad Men" in 2007, it was at first unclear whether the actor himself had the same charm and swagger as his character. In the years since he hit the Hollywood scene, it has become alarmingly clear that Hamm is charismatic and dapper.

Thanks to roles in projects like "Bridesmaids" and "Tag," as well as his many appearances on talk shows and the like, we now know that Hamm is also freakin' hilarious. But let's get back to his looks, since this is a man who was listed on Harper's Bazaar's list of "the 50 hottest men of all time." Glamour once published an article about making one's man look like Hamm when wearing formal wear, and Savoir Flair celebrated his best fashion moments for his 50th birthday. And while the man can wear a suit better than most, he is also known for his casual wear — in particular, the way that it leaves little to the imagination. Like this Cosmopolitan piece on Hamm's bulge, the Internet is filled with photos and comments analyzing this zaddy's, ahem, assets.

Fan consensus is that Jensen Ackles, best known as the star of the CW's "Supernatural," is a giant zaddy. A Nerdist video called "Jensen Ackles is a zaddy" has over 2.7 million views on YouTube and, as of this writing, 61% of respondents declared Ackles a zaddy on a Buzzfeed poll with nearly 50,000 votes — which makes him one of the only men on the poll to have more than 50% agreement regarding his zaddy status. There is even a Twitter account for "Jensen Acklelicious Zaddy," which deserves far more followers than it has.

Ackles has been on television for more than half his life, starting with small guest roles and then a plum job on "Days of Our Lives." Today, he is widely known as one of television's hottest men, thanks in large part to his smoldering stare. If you need further proof, Ackles was named TV's sexiest male star for both 2020 and 2021 according to People magazine reader polls. "I just heard what zaddy was the other day," Ackles said in a 2022 Nerdist video with two of his "The Boys" co-stars. The three came to the determination that Ackles — or at least his character — was indeed a zaddy. Of course, fans agree.

If you would have told us around the time of "Heroes" that Zachary Quinto would one day become a zaddy, we might not have believed you. But Quinto has aged like a fine wine, stepping into his bravado and highlighting his sex appeal in ways that we did not realize a guy who played Spock ever could. He is a fan of a thirst trap, and while his shirtless selfies often garner attention from outlets, his signature feature has nothing to do with working out his toned torso. As Buzzfeed noted in "22 Times Zachary Quinto's Eyebrows Laid The Best Thirst Traps," the actor's eyebrows are 100% his defining feature.

Quinto's style is also on point, and he wears his clothes rather than the other way around, which is important for a zaddy. Countless websites have published articles on how to replicate Quinto's fashions, and even his casual everyday looks have gotten him noticed by the likes of Esquire UK and Just Jared. If we have not yet convinced you that we are dealing with a bonafide zaddy here, take a peek at PopSugar's "In Case You Haven't Noticed, Zachary Quinto Is a Walking Thirst Trap," which is basically just a collection of photos where Quinto's confidence and sexual magnetism loom large.

Matt Bomer has a face like a Ken doll and a body like a — well, we will let you finish that thought, but nobody who saw "Magic Mike" was complaining. The Missouri-born actor first started in theater and soap operas but became better known for his primetime work in shows such as "Tru Calling," "Chuck," and especially "White Collar," where he played the main character. Since then, he has only continued to increase his fanbase with acclaimed work in miniseries like "The Normal Heart" and his work with Ryan Murphy, including "American Horror Story," "The Boys in the Band," and "American Horror Stories." He has plenty of other credits too, as one of Hollywood's leading gay zaddies.

Instinct magazine has referred to Bomer as a zaddy, while outlets like British GQ have crafted features on his style. Speaking of looks, "KFC Radio" once asked Bomer about being "stunningly good looking," and his answer speaks to his zaddy status. "Maybe I'm just not my type," he told the straight male co-host who praised his hair, eyes, jaw, and teeth. That humbleness does not feel feigned, but there is a reason why even straight male fans go crazy for Bomer, as he discussed on an episode of "Conan" in 2017. With a smile that could disarm even the most reluctant fan, Bomer's innate sexual energy is palpable.

Boris Kodjoe began acting in 1995 and quickly started stealing hearts with his good looks. His film credits include "Madea's Family Reunion" and two "Resident Evil" films, but Kodjoe is best known for his work on the small screen. In addition to TV movies and guest starring and recurring roles, Kodjoe has been a series regular on a number of shows including "Soul Food," "Undercovers," and "Real Husbands of Hollywood." As of this writing, he currently appears on the hit show "Station 19," where he plays firefighter Robert Sullivan. This role has earned Kodjoe the nickname "Fire Zaddy," which is so popular that even the show's official social media accounts use it.

Per Playbill, Kodjoe was named to People's "50 Most Beautiful" list back in 2002, and we think he has only gotten hotter with age. He has a sculpted jaw, a winning smile, and rocks a bald head like few others. As Hello Beautiful noted in a 2020 Facebook post, "Boris Kodjoe is giving us ALL THE ZADDY feels with his graying beard." Then there are the arms, which are heavily featured in many of the "Fire Zaddy" memes. Kodjoe's effortless good looks are just one part of the equation, though. There is also his stellar fashion sense and his unmistakable swagger, which even comes across in text form. For instance, he once responded to a tweet saying "I'd buy that fire zaddy cologne for sure" with just three emojis: a muscled bicep, fire, and a heart.

We have a feeling that you have been waiting for Idris Elba's name, because he is such a definitive zaddy that there is no way any such list could exist without him. He has been listed on just about every zaddy-focused list over the years, and Essence once devoted a whole article to reasons to love Elba. Even Fox News — an outlet that is not really known for this sort of content — added him to their list of Hollywood zaddies in October 2022, where they noted the term's frequent use in conjunction with Elba's name on social media. In his 50s, Elba will probably never get to play James Bond, but as NPR said in September 2022, fans have wanted it for a long time.

We can't pinpoint exactly when Elba crossed over into the mainstream and became a household name, but the actor has been working since 1994. His role on "The Wire" was his first big gig in the United States (Elba is British) and he has given award-nominated performances in projects such as "Beasts of No Nation," "Luther," and "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom." Elba has star quality in spades, in addition to a host of other good qualities — like his good looks, which earned him People's title of "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2018. "I was like, 'Come on, no way. Really?'," Elba told the outlet. "Looked in the mirror, I checked myself out. I was like, 'Yeah, you are kind of sexy today.'" Oh, to be that mirror.

Hot priest! We feel like that's all that we need to say to make our case that Andrew Scott is pure zaddy, but we will entertain the few who have not yet caught on to his charms. Andrew Scott played a priest who breaks his vows to have sex with the titular character in Season 2 of the fantastic "Fleabag," which is where he got the nickname "hot priest." But it was not just the character he played, because Scott himself has style, swagger, charm, and good looks — all the things we look for in a zaddy. Still, he was darn sexy as that priest and we are not surprised that articles like Us Weekly's "Andrew Scott's 5 Hottest Hot Priest Moments in 'Fleabag'" exist all over the web.

Scott has been working in the biz for decades, but only broke out in America because of "Fleabag," when he was in peak zaddy mode. He quickly started wowing fans with his daring, fashion-forward looks while on the awards circuit, which led to him making lists like British GQ's "Best Dressed Men of 2020." A talented actor who made female viewers lose their minds — "The Hot Priest In 'Fleabag' Makes Me Weak at the Knees," ran one Marie Claire headline — Scott is actually gay in real life, which just shows how powerful his charms are. If your sexual energy can make a priest's robe erotic, you are definitely a zaddy.

Bradley Cooper was certainly not zaddy material earlier in his career, as he seemed far too innocent and boyish around the time of "Alias," "Wet Hot American Summer," and even "Wedding Crashers." But then something started to shift, and we now think of Cooper as one of Hollywood's top zaddies. His turn in "A Star is Born" took things to another level, but Cooper has been showing shades of zaddiness ever since "Limitless." No matter how unsexy the movie — think "American Sniper" — Cooper brings a sexual energy to the screen, especially when he's got a beard and long hair (not so much with a mustache, as Cosmopolitan noted in 2019).

Unlike a lot of men on this list, Cooper's confidence can at times come off as arrogance. Then again, that may be a projection of the characters he plays, or an unfair interpretation of the small snippets we see in interviews. Most of the time, Cooper comes off more charming than smug, and what he might lack in relatability, he often makes up for with other zaddy qualities — like flair, for example. Countless outlets have celebrated his style, though GQ did refer to it as "bro style." British GQ was more focused on Cooper's formalwear a couple years later, and the amount of award shows Cooper has been to has affirmed that the man can rock a suit. He was People's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2011, but Cooper is now a zaddy — even "Teen Wolf" actor Dylan O'Brien has tweeted as much.

According to a Vanity Fair article published in 2014, Gerard Butler spends only five minutes getting ready to leave his house. While he is not necessarily as polished as most of the other men on our list, it is his rough-around-the-edges, unrefined vibe that makes him so appealing. Couple that with a fantastic sense of humor and a laid-back attitude, and throw in that Scottish accent, and you have a big ole' zaddy. British radio station "Heart 96-107" named Butler one of the sexiest men around, and we have to agree. Judging by his "thirst tweets" video he made for Buzzfeed Celeb (and the comment section on the video), plenty of others agree.

Butler has always given off zaddy vibes, but it was a bit harder to tell in his earlier roles in films such as "Dracula 2000" and "The Phantom of the Opera." There was no questioning it by the time he became a mega-celeb with "300," and certainly not when he broke our hearts in "P.S. I Love You." That was a decade and a half ago, and Butler is still a massive sex symbol. "My natural response is going to be, 'Well, I don't really see it.' But then again, I do — just on the street sometimes," Butler told Metro in an interview. "For anybody to blow it off and dismiss it, they're either insane or they're just not being honest or they're being extremely arrogant."

After Joe Manganiello, we only had space for one more "True Blood" hunk, but let's be real, we could have listed another five zaddies from that show alone. Sorry to Ryan Kwanten, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammel and the rest, but our second pick had to be the unbelievably sexy Alexander Skarsgård. Skarsgård is so handsome that for a long time, he had trouble getting people to take him seriously as an actor. "After my first job, I was on a stupid 'sexy hunky hot list' and then people didn't take me seriously," he told The Sunday Times. "If you want characters with depth but have been labeled 'a dude who takes his shirt off,' you're not going to get those offers."

Lucky for us fans, Skarsgård graduated from surface-level roles and has been able to wow the world with his acting chops in projects such as "Big Little Lies," "Melancholia," and "The Stand." And he still takes a superficial hunk role every now and again, like "The Legend of Tarzan," which kept him shirtless for the entire movie. Skarsgård dazzles even with clothes on, and he is a favorite style inspo subject for fashion websites. He is also extremely charismatic, wonderfully funny, and just effortlessly cool. "'Being a sex symbol isn't important — but I'm not going to pretend I don't love it," Skarsgård once admitted to the Irish Mirror.

Many young male pop stars go from teen idol to schlub, but not Justin Timberlake, who has only gotten hotter with time. He was named one of Harper's Bazaar's "50 hottest men of all time," and though his sex symbol status may have peaked around the time of "Sexyback," he continues to be a full-on snack. And sure, Timberlake still dresses like he's 25 despite now being in his 40s, but somehow it suits him. Even GQ has said "Justin Timberlake still refuses to dress his age... And we're okay with that," which goes to show how much you can get away with when you're super hip and good looking.

Vogue has also signed off on Timberlake's fashion sense, which continues to evolve as he helps set the trends of culture. The reason he can wear what he wants so effortlessly is not just due to his good looks, but also his innate coolness. Over the years, Timberlake has proven that he has serious acting chops (see: "The Social Network") and impeccable comedic skills (see: every time he has hosted "Saturday Night Live), and acting is not even what he is best known for. His voice is still smooth as butter, and his strong dance moves rival those he had in his youth. For millennials who grew up with him, Timberlake is the epitome of a zaddy — though he is not without his controversies, particularly related to past behaviors (via Slate).

Chris Pine made waves when he shot a nude scene for Netflix's "Outlaw King," prompting an overwhelming amount of outlets to publish pieces on his full-frontal moment. Your private parts don't elicit that sort of media response unless you are a major hunk or the complete opposite, and Pine is certainly not the opposite. He took the number one spot on Jezebel's 2017 zaddies list, probably because he has the kind of movie star presence that most can only dream about. With his deep blue eyes and full head of hair, he is certainly not hard to look at either — especially when he keeps the beard short enough to actually see his face.

One of Pine's biggest zaddy qualities is his fashion sense, which is wildly adventurous and incredibly chic. InStyle has praised him for wearing shirts with embellishments, patterns, silky materials — what they call "his blouse era" — and GQ has swooned over his style choices on many occasions, even calling him an "outfit heater" in one 2022 piece praising his aesthetic. Even his quarantine looks were praised by outlets, and that is saying a lot. We have to agree with Marie Claire that one Pine outfit stands above the rest, and not just because it showed off his toned arms. "Chris Pine in This Ruth Bader Ginsberg Tank Has Reached Ultimate Zaddy Status," reads the 2021 headline, which summarizes everything fans were thinking at the time.

The best thing about Channing Tatum is not his sculpted face, or even his killer bod that we have seen so much of thanks to the "Magic Mike" movies and various other roles. No, the best thing about Tatum is his amazing personality and fun sense of humor, which makes everyone gravitate toward him. He can prank Sandra Bullock on set or moon his sleeping friend Jonah Hill, and it never comes off mean, because he has such a great energy and zest for life. He is always game for a laugh, like when he guest-hosted "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and adorably sat on a kids' stool for a skit, or when he performed as Queen Bey and danced with Beyonce herself on an episode of "Lip Sync Battle."

And yes, he is also very, very attractive. People's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2012, Tatum has made a career out of being the lovable hot goof in movies like "21 Jump Street" and the sexy love interest in ones like "The Vow." In 2012, Glamour published a piece about Tatum's steamiest movie scenes — and that was before "Magic Mike XXL," "Hail, Caesar!," and "White House Down," which all featured Tatum at peak sexiness (plus, that cameo as a sex slave in "This Is the End"). Zaddy Tatum is sensitive, too — he has a series of children's books about the love between a father and a daughter, inspired by his own experiences.

Four years ago, a Reddit user asked, "Does anyone else think Matt Czuchry (Logan) is hotter now than in 'Gilmore Girls' is it just me?" on a subreddit for "Gilmore Girls." Comments overwhelmingly supported the original poster's views that the actor is even hotter on "The Resident" than he was over a decade earlier on "Gilmore Girls." In fact, it is mind-boggling how well Czuchry is aging — he's in his mid-40s, but easily looks a decade younger. His amazing bone structure and cute dimples look even better next to a few wrinkles and a layer of scruff. Czuchry is definitely a zaddy, and one that deserves more attention than he gets — even if he was featured in People's 2019 "Sexiest Man Alive" issue.

Over the course of decades in Hollywood, Czuchry has been in only a handful of movies, including the terrible "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell," where the main highlights were his multiple nude scenes. He is primarily known as a TV actor, and we started to see his zaddy potential around the time of "The Good Wife." Now that he plays an arrogant but well-meaning single dad on "The Resident," it is undeniable — this man has it. Czuchry is notoriously private and rarely gives interviews, so it is hard to know how much of that magnetism and sexual energy is the character and how much is him. But since he has brought that lovable cockiness and cheeky smile to multiple characters now, all signs point to the actor.

Look, we could make a joke about Michael Fassbender and BDE, but if you have seen the film "Shame," you already know where that one is going. After all, Fassbender's junk became an international headline after he went nude in the film, and George Clooney even made jokes about it when he beat Fassbender out at the Golden Globes that year. Fassbender played a sex addict in the film and shed every layer of self-consciousness (even urinating on screen at one point) to deliver an incredibly raw and affecting performance. The confidence he had to get so vulnerable on film is nearly as sexy as the charm he exhibits in interviews and on red carpets. Fassbender never comes off as arrogant, but always comes off as having swagger.

Fassbender is no slouch in the face department either, with his sparkling blue eyes, adorable smile, and sexy red beard. He has been labeled a zaddy on multiple occasions, including on one Metro US list and in an article for Jezebel that jokes the way to pronounce his name is "yass zaddy." The celeb is also known for having an impeccable sense of style. Fassbender feels more serious than his peers, perhaps because he primarily takes on dramatic and action roles or perhaps because his privateness makes him seem almost mysterious. We don't quite know what is living under the surface with this zaddy, and that makes him even hotter.

You have to be one fine zaddy for us to still find you undeniably sexy after we have seen you poop in a suitcase, as Murray Bartlett's character famously did on Season 1 of "The White Lotus." Putting that disturbing scene out of mind, Bartlett is also scorching hot whenever he appears off screen, and it is not hard to see why he is consistently cast as the sexualized hunk — as he has been in everything from "Looking" to "Welcome to Chippendales." Bartlett is peak zaddy in "Physical," where he plays a 1980s aerobics instructor who sports tiny shorts and a Tom Selleck-style mustache.

He's clearly a smokeshow — just see Pride.com's collection of Bartlett's sexiest pictures — but what we find the sexiest of all is Bartlett's personality. He consistently comes off as humble but confident, with an unwavering sense of self that cannot be compromised by Hollywood. In an interview with The Guardian, he spoke about the struggles of finding work as an openly gay actor but made it clear that he never felt hiding his identity was an option. So, it makes us happy that Bartlett found worldwide fame after decades of hard work. "I've had an amazing couple of years. My horizons have expanded at a great time in my life," the zaddy told Vanity Fair in 2022. "I think I have a decent sense of perspective on the industry and about what's important in life and stuff, so it's kind of nice to have these things happening now."

John Krasinski is one of the more curious cases when it comes to Hollywood zaddies, because most of us never saw this one coming. He was cute as wisecracking Jim Halpert on "The Office," but in a dorky sort of way and with hair that never let us take him seriously. Offscreen, he used to be rather average as well, but then he got super buff and super fashionable and somehow morphed into what he is now: a choice zaddy. As Krasinski's fame has skyrocketed, due to projects like "A Quiet Place" and "Jack Ryan," he has really upped his game in the aesthetics department.

Even GQ Australia has noted Krasinski's glow-up, writing in 2021 that "John Krasinski falls into the growing category of Hollywood comedians deciding to get jacked, and get new clothes." The article also mentions Krazinski's amazing beard which, truth be told, truly transforms his face. Credit must also be given to his fashions, which both GQ and Esquire UK have called "low-key stylish," and his ripped body, which has been featured everywhere online. But at the end of the day, we have to give props to Krasinski's charisma, humor, and talent. Ultimately, those were the things that earned him the win in a People poll about the "Sexiest Guy Who Entertained Us in Lockdown" back in 2020.

It is hard to include Matt Damon on this list and not his bestie Ben Affleck, but one of them simply has more of a claim to zaddy-dom than the other. That is not to say that Affleck is not handsome, funny, and charming, but Damon has that something extra that we just can't put our finger on. Perhaps it is his intellect, as Damon has a reported IQ of 160 and was one-time enrolled at Harvard (he dropped out to make movies, which proved to be a good route!), per Harper's Bazaar Australia. Or maybe it is his ability to poke fun at himself, like he does with his fake rivalry with Jimmy Kimmel — which originated the hilarious, Emmy-winning sketch "I'm F***ing Matt Damon." Whatever it is, Damon is more than just your typical Hollywood hot guy. 

Now, let's get down to the superficial stuff, because we are talking about People's 2007 "Sexiest Man Alive" here, and a man who, in 2011, Elle called "Hollywood's Sexiest Mr. Nice Guy." GQ has named him a style icon, and he has only refined his look with age. Damon has both that boy-next-door — or, more accurately today, dad-next-door — charm and prototypical Greek God looks, which has allowed him to play pretty much any sort of role. He has rocked our socks off with roles in movies like "Invictus," "The Martian," and the "Bourne" films, and somehow even managed to be sexy as a con artist killer in "The Talented Mr. Ripley."

Who better to end this list with than the latest James Bond, who just so happens to be a total zaddy? Daniel Craig has been a working actor for over three decades now, but he only became a giant international celebrity when he started appearing as Bond in 2006, beginning with "Casino Royale." He has since starred in four more Bond films, and his other movies have been just as enticing. His role as lovable Southern detective Benoit Blanc in the "Knives Out" films has proven he can do comedy and still remain as sexy as ever, and we cannot wait to see what he gets up to now that he has officially moved on from the "007" canon. That said, we will never forget that "Casino Royale" scene where Craig emerged from the ocean in a tiny blue swimsuit.

There is nothing forced about that swagger Craig brought to his "Bond" films, because the actor is possibly even more suave than the legendary character. His style has been praised by fashion magazines galore, consistently naming him as one of the best dressed male celebs. Craig is also very confident and refreshingly comfortable in his masculinity. He's so comfortable, in fact, that he told Paper magazine he prefers gay bars to straight ones, and once dressed up in drag to show his support for gender equality, per OK! Magazine. He's charming, funny, talented, hot, and a feminist — what else could one ask for in a zaddy?