Dev Patel for Sexiest Man Alive? Ellen DeGeneres Starts His Campaign!

Dev Patel got a powerful endorsement for the title while visiting The Ellen Degeneres Show on Friday.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson better watch his back, because someone’s already coming for his spot as PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive.

Dev Patel got a powerful endorsement for the title while visiting The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Friday.After complimenting the actor on the muscle he put on for a new film, DeGeneres encouraged him to start a campaign for Sexiest Man Alive at this weekend’s Golden Globes.

Patel is nominated for best actor for his performance in Lion, a true story about an Indian boy who gets adopted by an Australian couple after becoming separated from his biological family. When the boy grows up, he uses a new tool, Google Earth, to track down his long-lost family. Patel stars as the grown-up version of the character, a role which required the normally slender actor to hit the gym.

Patel seemed hesitant about throwing his hat in the ring for Sexiest Man Alive, but DeGeneres helped out by creating a faux PEOPLE cover to get the ball rolling.

“Because you look so good and people are saying you look buff and everything, I had this made for you. And if you print it out, you can hand this out. It’ll help your career,” said the host.

“No!” Patel said, laughing. “I’ll give it to my mom and she’ll put it at the entrance of our house.”

When DeGeneres told the actor he should hand out the fake cover during interviews, he replied, “That’s never going to happen.”

Finally, after the actor called the whole idea “very awkward,” DeGeneres, feigning frustration, told Patel, “You don’t understand Hollywood.”