More than 500,000 of our readers voted, along with our staff, to determine the Top 49 Most Influential Men of 2012.
The men who made the list come from different walks of life, but they're all men who are breaking records, reinventing the way we do things and redefining what it means to be a modern man.
They're dedicated to furthering the future of humanity through their respective fields, and in doing so, they inspire us to do the same. These are the men who have secured a place in our collective memories, who will show up in the textbooks our children read.
So who made the list?
#49: Alec Baldwin
Why Is Alec Baldwin #49?
When he’s not playing Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock, starring in movies, doing media appearances, writing for the Huffington Post, hosting a radio show, considering a run for mayor of New York or getting married, Alec Baldwin is getting vocal on Twitter.
At 54, he’s a man who’s at the stage in his life where he’s comfortable with himself and doesn’t really care if you don’t agree with his views. Alec is who he is, and isn’t going to apologize for it. Sure, it helps that he’s a hugely successful and wealthy celebrity, but, still, men could learn from that self-confident attitude.
#48: Tom Hardy
Why Is Tom Hardy #48?
Tom Hardy truly made his presence felt in 2012—even though his face was covered for most of it—as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises and as Forrest Bondurant in Lawless. When Hardy was first tabbed as the 'roided-out Batman villain, people didn’t think the pretty boy could bulk up enough.
Apparently, they didn’t know Hardy (and didn't see Bronson). For any guy who's unsure if he can take it to the next level, Hardy is a perfect example of the benefits of paying one’s dues and putting in the work. We'll see him next in Mad Max: Fury Road, and it's safe to say that he'll be around for quite awhile.
#47: Tony Horton
Why Is Tony Horton #47?
If you’ve only just found out about Tony Horton by staying up late and catching one of his infomercials, then you’re one of the last to jump onto his bandwagon.
Horton is the creator of P90X, the fitness routine that’s become one of the world’s leading regimens for getting ripped. Now that P90X devotees have the fitness part down, Horton's taking care of the diet component with his new meal-delivery service, Tony Horton's Kitchen.
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