Meet Frank Christians, The 55-Year-Old Silver Daddy Behind That Viral Manspread Shoot
A shirtless silver fox sprawled in silk underwear, sock garters and black lace-ups has the gay internet in tatters this week. The man behind the manspread is Frank Christians, a 55-year-old German-Danish model, and the shoot is a preview from issue #17 of male nude publication L’Homme Nu, lensed by Czech photographer Marcel Plavec.
The first image, posted to Christians’ Instagram on Monday, showed him oiled up and reclining in nothing but boxer shorts and old-school sock suspenders. The second had him standing in a jockstrap. Within hours, screenshots were circulating on X.
“How can one person be this much?” the original viral post asked, before adding the line that broke timelines: “FYI he’s straight! ..So not only gay guys rock this kind of stuff.”
The replies ran the full thirsty gamut. “He looks like Alexander Skarsgard in a different font,” wrote one user. Another begged for a Pedro Pascal recreation. A third, speaking for many of us, simply typed: “SLUTTING OUT THIS BOILED SILK OMG.”
Who is Frank Christians?
Christians has been modelling since the 1980s, racking up covers, runways and the occasional underwear campaign before stepping away from fashion in his late thirties to host TV programs in Germany. After roughly 15 years on screen, he returned to modelling at 50.
“In 2020 I restarted modelling at the age of 50 as a so-called ‘best ager’ which opened a new market for me,” Christians told Glamour Bulgaria.
He hasn’t stopped since. He’s listed on Models.com and signed with agencies across Germany, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland and France.
What is L’Homme Nu?
L’Homme Nu describes itself as being “about tasty and tasteful male nude photography and naked gents with personality.” It’s the more risqué sister title to men’s style outlet The Perfect Man, and it specialises in artful, full-frontal editorials with a dry sense of humour.
Issue #17 features Christians in a full editorial by Plavec, and the model himself goes there. He first stripped off for a shoot at 45 and, ten years on, he’s clearly still comfortable.
Asked how he first realised he was, ahem, well-equipped, Christians delivered the quote of the week: “That you notice when you’re in a sauna and wonder why others have wandering eyes.”
Same king. Same.
Is he actually straight?
By all accounts, yes. Christians is a father of three and looks to be partnered with fellow model Maria Eberwein, who he’s shot the occasional bride-and-groom editorial with. In 2021 he dropped a Father’s Day post that very much understood the assignment.
So we have a straight 55-year-old who oils up for a queer-favourite art magazine, knows exactly what he’s doing, and isn’t bothered by gay men losing the plot over it. That’s allyship with abs.
