Did Ryan Gosling Refuse 'Sexiest Man Alive' Title? People Magazine Editor-In-Chief Jess Cagle Reveals the Real Score

Chris Hemsworth was recently named as People's "Sexiest Man Alive" and it didn't take a long time before rumors spread that he wasn't really the publication's first choice.

A source recently dished to The Wrap that Gosling was the magazine's first choice but the actor refused the title and stressed that he didn't want to have anything to do with it.

"They tried a few times, especially during his huge year in 2011. The consensus was he's too serious for it, too artsy," the source said.

The source name-dropped a handful of artists who they claimed were also asked by the publication to contend for the prestigious title, Cosmopolitan reported.

"Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling and Jake Gyllenhaal were all asked to be the pick and they declined... A couple other people were offered it as well, but People settled with Chris because he's hot but also he said yes after so many nos," the source lamented.

Meanwhile, People's editor-in-chief, Jess Cagle, denied such rumors and explained, "While I look forward to the day when Ryan Gosling is named the Sexiest Man Alive, this was not his year. Our 2014 honoree Chris Hemsworth was our first and only choice. If you want to know why, just at him. I mean, seriously."

Meanwhile, back in 2011, fans of Gosling expected him to bring home the title but it was later on given to Bradley Cooper. This resulted to a stage mock protest outside of People' headquarters, E! News noted.

At that time, Cooper addressed the issue during his appearance on 'The Graham Norton Show' and said, "He's the greatest. We were both in Paris this last week and a friend of mine showed me... there were photographs from paparazzi... and when I say friend, I mean me, alone in my room looking at the computer. And it was of him walking around, and he literally looks like he's in a photo shoot, like he just came off the runway."