Jonathan Bailey is not quitting acting.
People‘s most recent “Sexiest Man Alive” has clarified what he meant when he said he’d “stop acting for a bit next year.”
Keep reading to find out more…
Speaking to Esquire UK, Jonathan said, “I then did an interview with a magazine when I was cycling between Rome and Pisa on the way to a friend’s wedding, and the internet kept cutting out. As a result, there was an unfortunate misquote that said I’d stopped acting for a bit. My intention was to say, ‘Next year I’ll be back,’ but yeah, the ripple effect was extraordinary.”
In short, he plans to step back a little—but not stop acting entirely. He wants to dedicate more time to his charity work with The Shameless Fund, an organization raising funds for non-profits and supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
“By Monday, the headlines were ‘Jonathan Bailey has quit acting,’” the Wicked star continued. “I learnt at that moment that you can’t control it.”
Basically, after Wicked: For Good, we won’t see him in any new roles in 2026 (aside from what he’s already filmed for Bridgerton season 4).
“I mean as it stands at the moment, I’ll definitely be back to work next year,” Jonathan clarified. “I’m not taking the whole of 2026 off.”
That being said, even if he returns to set late next year, whatever he shoots in 2026 likely won’t hit screens until 2027 or later.
Is Jonathan single? Here’s everything he’s said about dating and relationships.