Sexiest Man Dead! See 9 Former Sexiest Men Alive Who Played Ghosts, Vampires, and More

Alive or undead, these actors remain some of Hollywood's hottest stars. Since 1985, PEOPLE has recognized the most attractive living men in entertainment. From Mel Gibson to Patrick Dempsey, many have appeared on the cover of the annual Sexiest Man Alive issue. Yet, only a few have managed to charm their way beyond the grave!

With Halloween approaching, we pay tribute to nine alumni from the Sexiest Man Alive who have portrayed devilishly handsome ghosts, vampires, and other undead figures. Unsurprisingly, they all looked ghoulishly good doing it.

01. Harry Hamlin

First on our list is a bit of a stretch. In the AMC series Mayfair Witches, based on Anne Rice's novels, 1987's Sexiest Man Alive Harry Hamlin plays the villain Cortland Mayfair. Spoiler alert: he is turned into stone during the first season finale for his wickedness, meaning he isn't technically alive. However, he is set to return for season 2, scheduled to premiere in January, suggesting Cortland might rise again.

02. Tom Cruise

1990's Sexiest Man Alive, Tom Cruise, portrayed the original Lestat in the 1994 adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire. Cruise's character embraced his undead status with joy, and the actor infused plenty of flamboyant style into the role.

03. Patrick Swayze

Not all ghosts invoke fear! The late Patrick Swayze, named PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive in 1991, played a charming, heartbroken spirit in the 1990 film Ghost. At that time, the Dirty Dancing star recognized this part as "one of those roles of a lifetime."

04. Brad Pitt

While Tom Cruise's Lestat enjoyed his undead existence in Interview with the Vampire, his fledgling partner, Louis, portrayed by two-time Sexiest Man Alive Brad Pitt, despised it. In 1995, Pitt expressed that filming the role felt draining: "I don’t like it when a movie interferes with your day. I’d rather play a character who just wants to [make love to] everybody and have a fantastic time."

05. Denzel Washington

A question arises: Are angels just ghosts wearing nicer outfits? Opinions may vary on how we classify the departed, but if this means including Sexiest Man Alive 1996 Denzel Washington, we celebrate his role as Dudley the angel in 1996's The Preacher's Wife.

06. Johnny Depp

Having been named Sexiest Man Alive twice — in 2003 and again in 2009 — Johnny Depp returned from the crypt in the 2012 film Dark Shadows. This film, inspired by a 1960s soap opera, showcased Depp's return as the charming vampire Barnabas Collins in collaboration with director Tim Burton.

07. Jude Law

Years before being named PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive in 2004, Jude Law starred as a seductively sinister vampire in the 1998 thriller The Wisdom of Crocodiles (also known as Immortality). The film presents a twist: Law's undead character, Steven Grlscz, can only drain the blood of victims who are romantically infatuated with him.

08. Ryan Reynolds

In 2013, Ryan Reynolds appeared in R.I.P.D., blending elements of Ghost and Men in Black. The 2010's Sexiest Man Alive portrayed a murdered detective returning from the afterlife to track rogue ghosts for a special investigative team from beyond the grave.

09. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

Making a striking debut in 2001's The Mummy Returns, Dwayne Johnson starred as an ancient warlord cursed by the god of the dead and resurrected as a terrifying scorpion monster. The 2016 Sexiest Man Alive later reprised his role in 2002's The Scorpion King, though this time, the character was certainly alive.

Earlier, SSP wrote about Nina Dobrev and Shaun White: distinct paths to engagement.

...