- - “Rebel Ridge ”Star Aaron Pierre On Fame, Romance and Guilty Pleasures That Make Him Feel 'Naughty'

Julie Jordan, Maya PowNovember 6, 2025 at 7:01 AM

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Sitting across from Aaron Pierre in an English countryside cottage can turn a blustery fall day into a warm retreat.

He’s thoughtful with his words (not to mention in that British accent) and has a commanding presence, but it’s those incredible eyes that really draw you in.

The actor, 31, who studied drama at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art, is quickly captivating audiences—and not just from his viral Jennifer Hudson Show spirit tunnel video for which the comments had to be turned off because, as Hudson put it, Pierre was “too hot for y’all to handle.”

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Aaron Pierre in COS cardigan. Wax London tank. Grenson shoes.

From lending his voice to Mufasa: The Lion King and starring as a Marine veteran in the Emmy-winning Netflix movie Rebel Ridge to his current role as an artist-husband with a secret on The Morning Show, Pierre isn’t taking any of it for granted.

“I’m working on things that I’m passionate about,” he tells PEOPLE in this week's Sexiest Man Alive issue, “and I’m just so very grateful.”

He gives credit to a select few for keeping him grounded as the spotlight intensifies: “My most intimate relationships are what make me most happy,” says Pierre, who has a young son and went public with girlfriend singer-actress Teyana Taylor, 34, in June.

Related: Teyana Taylor Has NSFW Reaction When Asked About Working with Boyfriend Aaron Pierre

Even with upcoming roles on the DC series Lanterns and in the movie Star Wars: Starfighter, Pierre insists there’s no bucket list keeping him on point. “I just want to look back and be like, ‘I tried, and I did my best—and know I couldn’t have done any more.’ ”

We got Pierre's rapid-fire take on a few pressing issues, from the sexiest song to his current guilty pleasure.

Love at first sight or slow burn?

Both. It can be love at first sight, and then you enjoy taking your time to go on the journey.

Love letters or flowers?

I like flowers accompanied by actual words and being there with the person.

Tea or coffee?

Tea. I've never had a cup of coffee in my life, ever. I wonder what I'd be like on coffee.

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Aaron Pierre in BOSS jacket & trousers. Wax London tank. Grenson shoes.

Related: How Aaron Pierre Went from Sports Dreams to Movie-Star Trajectory: 'Acting Requires Athleticism' (Exclusive)

Night out or night in?

Night in every time. To get me out, it takes some convincing. It needs to be a really special occasion or for one of my loved ones. I'm very much an inside, indoors type of person. I like to hibernate, stay out of the way. You know what I mean?

Biggest pet peeve?

I can’t go to bed without all of the dishes either loaded in the dishwasher or washed up by hand. I get that from my mum. I could have just gotten back from an event, and I’m ready to go to bed, and then I see a fork in there, and it devastates me. I’m very tidy. That’s just who I am, for better or for worse.

Guilty pleasure?

I’m on a mission to be more health-conscious. I used to have a severe sweet tooth, but now I’ll just have dark chocolate [Hu Kitchen is his favorite]. It makes me feel like I’m eating something really naughty.

Boxers or briefs?

They both serve their purpose. I think boxers.

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Aaron Pierre in Leviʼs jeans & shirt. Wax London tank.

Morning workout or evening workout?

Both. I'm not being cheeky! I like both.

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Aaron Pierre in BOSS jacket & trousers. Wax London tank. Grenson shoes.

Romantic comedy or action movie?

That's really hard. Oh gosh, why is this stressing me out? I can't choose. I genuinely can't choose on that one. Maybe I'm going to say rom-com.

What makes you happy?

I love food. Big foodie, so I love to cook, but I like to eat more than I love to cook. I'm very happy to clean the kitchen after I've eaten.

Do you have a go to recipe that impresses?

That's where you're not going to catch me lying! I don't have any recipes that impress, but I can cook. If I needed to eat something right now, I could prepare something and I would be able to eat it and it would be edible.

What's the scariest thing you've ever done?

Probably commit to wanting to be an actor, but actually saying it out loud. And I know that might sound funny, but it's genuinely saying it out loud to myself. "I would like to become an actor professionally as my career."

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American Vintage tee shirt. Leviʼs jeans. Grenshon shoes.

What keeps you grounded?

I'm a grounded person anyway, I would like to believe. But my loved ones and my community have certainly contributed massively to keeping me grounded and reminding me why I do this because I don't do it solely for me. I do it to serve the ones I love in my community and uplift them and celebrate them.

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Aaron Pierre in American Vintage tee shirt. Leviʼs jeans. Grenshon shoes.Credits

Photographer ABDM

Cinematographer Phil Bradshaw

Groomer Liz Taw / Enhanse / The Wall Group

Barber Yian Hapeshis

Stylist Jason Bolden

On-set Stylist Abigail White / Stella Creative Artists

Production ECPC

Set Design Charlie Heath-Martin

For more Sexiest Man Alive content, including cover star Jonathan Bailey, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE on newsstands Friday.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”