Throwback Thursday: An Unknown Channing Tatum Steams Up the Cover

In February of 2002, an unknown model by the name of Channing Tatum served as photographer Todd Oldham's muse for a Valentine-themed spread for the magazine. Back then, Tatum was a working model appearing in ads for Armani and Ambercrombie & Fitch before moving into commercials.

Just three years prior, Tatum responded to a strip club's radio ad looking for fresh young talent and he figured, "Why not?"

“I never enjoyed the taking-the-clothes-off part,” he recalled in an interview with Out. “You are on a stage with people yelling at you, and you feel you’re a rock star, but you’re nothing -- you’re just a guy taking off his clothes, looking like a fool in a stupid outfit.”

Cut to 2012. Tatum was suddenly Hollywood's total package and taking it off all over again --but this time for the big screen. With the successful debut of Magic Mike and several other films of that year, the former model was no longer wrestling his way to the top.

Proving that 2012 was no blip, Tatum has released at least four films a year. This year, he'll maintain his position on top with five new movies, including Jupiter Ascending, the Oscar-bait Foxcatcher and 22 Jump Street, hitting theaters. Though, he'll likely do it all with his clothes on.