From Lewis Hamilton to Chace Crawford, the Men Redefining 40 with Confidence, Charm and Serious Glow-Ups
Somewhere along the way, 40 stopped being a finish line and became a flex. Maybe it’s the sleep schedules, the skin care, the green smoothies and early-morning workouts. Maybe it’s the hard-won confidence that only sneaks in once you’ve lived a little. Whatever it is, a growing list of famous forty-somethings are making the rest of us rethink what “peak” looks like. Spoiler: it looks like right now.
Take Lewis Hamilton, who turned 40 in January 2025 and somehow seems more electric than he did a decade ago. You can see it in everything from the way he carries himself on a grid walk to the tailoring of his paddock looks. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has always been fast, but lately there’s a sense of ease — the kind that comes from knowing exactly who you are and where you’re headed. His next chapter with Ferrari has only amplified that energy. He’s still the guy who will lean into bold fashion, but he’s also a seasoned pro who speaks about purpose, discipline and longevity like they’re part of the race strategy. It’s not just youthfulness; it’s presence.
Then there’s Chace Crawford, also 40, who years ago was everybody’s crush on Gossip Girl and is now winning new fans (and plenty of side-eye laughs) as The Deep on The Boys. Crawford’s on-screen transformation — still handsome, but now with a mischievous, self-aware wink — mirrors a real-life glow-up that only time can deliver. The jawline is still doing overtime, sure, but it’s the charm that feels sharper. He looks like a man who figured out how to enjoy his work and ignore the noise.
The list of men thriving in their forties keeps going. Henry Cavill (b. 1983) leans into classic leading-man charisma with the quiet confidence of someone who reads the room — and the script — before he walks in. Chris Evans (b. 1981) brings that warm, approachable energy to every red carpet, the kind that says he knows fame is a job and kindness is a choice. John Legend (b. 1978) turns 47 this year and still croons like it’s date night every night, proof that elegance ages beautifully. Ryan Gosling (b. 1980) just served up a blockbuster run and reminded the world that wit is as attractive as abs. And Donald Glover (b. 1983) continues to shapeshift between writer, director and musician with a cool that isn’t loud, just undeniable.
The through line isn’t a number. It’s intention. These guys take care of themselves, yes, but they also seem to take care of their time — choosing projects that fit, protecting their circles, letting their work do the talking. There’s something irresistibly attractive about men who have nothing to prove and everything to enjoy. You can see it in smaller details, too: style that fits instead of shouts, workouts that are about longevity, not punishment, and a sense of humor that lands because it’s not trying too hard.
We’re told to look back at our twenties as the golden years, but the evidence is stacking up on the other side. The forties come with better playlists, clearer boundaries and the gift of perspective. The muscles might be earned instead of inherited, the suits better cut, the smiles a little softer because they’ve weathered life and still want more of it.
So here’s to the men making “forty” feel like a runway instead of a roadblock — to Hamilton striding into a new team with the swagger of a champion, to Crawford embracing weird and winning, and to every artist, athlete and leading man who reminds us that attraction is as much about spirit as it is about symmetry. If this is what the decade looks like, consider the case closed: 40 really is the new 20 — only smarter, steadier and, somehow, even sexier.
