WOMAN OF THE YEAR
MARGOT ROBBIE
Not only did she take out her third No.1 spot in the MAXIM AUSTRALIA HOT 100 title last November, Margot also remains one of the leading “it” girls of Tinseltown and the actress of choice for Hollywood’s auteurs. This year is shaping up to be a busy one for her, as she takes on the role of the original blonde bombshell in Greta Gerwig’s much-hyped Barbie as well as a supporting role in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City. All hail our Queen Margot!
RUNNER-UP JACINDA ARDERN
In January, Jacinda Ardern resigned as Prime Minister of New Zealand after five years in the top job. Internationally lauded as a symbol of strong leftist leadership, Ardern’s legacy will undoubtedly include her empathy and effective action following the Christchurch Mosque shooting, as well as boosting New Zealand’s profile on the world stage. We love ya, JA.
RUNNER-UP THE QUEEN
The remarkable story of the world’s longest reigning female monarch drew to a close last year following the death of Her Majesty Elizabeth II at age 96. During her lifetime, the Queen helped oversee many of Britain’s former colonies as they claimed independence as sovereign nations. Above all, her unwavering sense of duty and personal popularity helped steer the increasingly outdated monarchy into the 21st century. Not bad for a woman who had to parent Prince Andrew.
MAN OF THE YEAR
NICK KYRGIOS
Despite missing the Australian Open in January due to injury, Nick had a spectacular 12 months on and off the court. It began with his first ever grand slam doubles title (with his "Special K" mate Thanasi Kokkinakis) at last year’s AO, followed by his first grand slam singles final at Wimbledon, and a new relationship with stunner Costeen Hatzi. His fan base continued to grow with the release of Netflix’s tennis docu-series Break Point.
Most importantly, Kyrgios kept up his charity work, including a much-buzzed exhibition match with Novak Djokovic, with all proceeds donated to the Australian Tennis Foundation to support disadvantaged youths. What’s not to love about the bloke?
RUNNER-UP VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY
The Ukrainian president is the kind of fearless leader once thought to have died out with Churchill and FDR. As the brutal war in his homeland continues to dominate global politics, the former comedian and actor has risen to the occasion to go toe to toe with Russia’s army. With tens of thousands dead, Zelenskyy has remained firm, staring down Putin and rallying support from across the world. Peace!
RUNNER-UP NEDD BROCKMANN
Each year in the MAXIM Awards we love to salute your everyday Aussie who’s done something bloody amazing. This year, we present you Nedd Brockmann. Over the course of 46 days and 12 hours, this machine ran more than 4,000 km across the continent from Cottesloe Beach in WA to the sands
