TIME 100 NEXT

The World's Most Influential Rising Stars

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Jonathan Bailey

37/ ENDLESSLY CURIOUS BY ARIANA GRANDE

I first met Jonathan Bailey at dance rehearsal for Wicked.

I was nervous because I have always found him so brillianthaving bookmarked and memorized a few bootleg clips of him onstage in Company and The Last Five Years-but from the moment we met, I felt like I was giggling with someone I had known for 20 years. I felt so immediately safe, connected to, and obsessed with my new scene partner and friend.

I can't even begin to describe what a privilege it is to see just how thoughtful he is about his craft and also how generous he is with himself on such a demanding level. While we were shooting Wicked, he was also bouncing back and forth between Bridgerton and Fellow Travelers, going on about 45 days without a day off. He handled it all with grace while simultaneously delivering three career-highlight performances. His ability to deliver on such an extraordinary level is otherworldly.

Nothing Jonny takes on is without the intention of somehow giving back to the community. In 2024, he launched the Shameless Fund, his charity dedicated to creating a world that encourages LGBTQ+ people to live authentically and thrive. I'm so thankful that I get to spend so much time with this incredibly gifted, playful, and caring human being who is so endlessly curious about art and life and the many which ways they intertwine. I'll forever be along for the ride.

Toyin Ojih Odutola

40/TRANSCENDENT TALENT BY ZADIE SMITH