Home · Entertainment · Oct 28 archive
Noah Wyle Named 'Sexiest Man Alive' Amid Backlash
· Confirmed
In Short: Noah Wyle, star of HBO's 'The Pitt,' was named People Magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive' for 2026, sparking mixed reactions from fans.
Noah Wyle, the 55-year-old star of HBO's 'The Pitt,' was named People Magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive' for 2026, an honor that has sparked mixed reactions from fans.
Wyle, known for his role as Dr. John Carter in the hit medical drama 'ER,' expressed shock at the news, telling People, 'I thought that sounded like a prank — just not in a million years did I think that this would be an honor bestowed on me.'
The announcement has drawn both praise and criticism. Some fans celebrated the recognition, while others expressed skepticism, with one commenter on People's website saying, 'Even you don’t believe THIS is the sexiest man alive,' garnering over 3,000 likes.
Wyle's family has also weighed in on the announcement. His daughter reportedly teased him, saying, 'No way, no way,' while his son was more practical, noting, 'This is going to make my life so much harder now, but that’s cool, Dad.'
Wyle's wife, Sara, played a key role in his decision to accept the award. He told the Jewish Chronicle, 'It was my wife who convinced me to accept it after I thought it was a prank.'
The actor, who has won four Emmys for his role in 'The Pitt,' described himself as a homebody who prefers to 'check out the books on the shelf in the library' or 'pet the dog' at a party.
Charlotte Triggs, editor-in-chief of People, told Scripps News that Wyle is 'the total package,' emphasizing that candidates for the title must have more than just an attractive physical appearance.
Wyle's career has seen two major breakthroughs: his role in 'ER' and his return to the medical drama genre with 'The Pitt.' He described the success of 'The Pitt' as the 'second lightning strike in my life,' referencing his earlier career breakthrough.
In an interview with People, Wyle also acknowledged the pressures of fame and the impact of his role on his personal life. He recalled an incident where a fan approached him at a restaurant for medical advice, saying, 'It looks like it’s healing nicely. Are you putting full weight on it?'
Despite the backlash, Wyle's cover photo received over 62,000 likes on People's website, indicating that many fans still support him.
Wyle's daughter has shown a keen interest in Judaism, helping him with the pronunciation of the Shema and scheduling her bat mitzvah.
The actor's career continues to attract renewed attention through his acclaimed performance in 'The Pitt,' which premiered in 2025 and is set to depict events on November 12, 2026, airing in January 2027.
What this adds
The 2026 'Sexiest Man Alive' title for Noah Wyle has sparked a range of reactions, from disbelief to support, highlighting the mixed feelings the award can generate among fans and the public.
Background
Noah Wyle, star of HBO's 'The Pitt,' was named People Magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive' for 2026, sparking mixed reactions from fans.
The Pitt is an American medical drama television series created by R. Scott Gemmill and executive produced by John Wells and Noah Wyle.
What's confirmed
- The 55-year-old actor revealed he was shocked to be named 2026’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” so much so that he actually thought it was joke at first.
- Wyle first found fame in the 90s, starring as doctor John Carter on NBC’s “ER” alongside George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Eric LaSalle, Sherry Stringfield and Julianna Margulies.
- “I thought that sounded like a prank — just not in a million years did I think that this would be an honor bestowed on me,” Wyle told People.
- By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org “That sounded like a prank,” the 55-year-old star of “The Pitt” told the magazine.
- Our pulse is racing because everyone’s favorite TV doctor is officially PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive!
- Noah Wyle photographed at Deer Creek Ridge in Malibu, CA on August 23, 2026(his dog's name is Lily)Photographer: Jeff LipskyCredit for social: @jefflipskyProduction: Snog ProductionsSet Design: Wooden LadderGroomer: Rachel Burney/STMNT and Augustinus Bader/The Wall GroupStylist: Mark Holmes/The Wall GroupJacket, shirt, jeans & boots: RRLWatch: vintage Rolex/Courtesy Wanna Buy a Watch In 2025, he returned to the medical drama genre with “The Pitt,” playing attending physician Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch in the HBO series.
- Charlotte Triggs, editor-in-chief of People, tells Scripps News that Wyle is "the total package."
- Triggs said to earn the title of "Sexiest Man Alive," candidates have to have something more to them than just an objectively attractive physical appearance.
- You can reach him on jjaffa@thejc.com The Jewish star, who plays Dr Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch in the hit HBO drama, revealed that it was his wife, Sara, who convinced him to accept the award after he ‘thought it was a prank’ Noah Wyle, star of HBO’s The Pitt, has been named People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive.
- Wyle, who plays Dr Michael ‘Robby’ Robinavitch in the hit medical drama, said that he “thought that sounded like a prank” when the outlet told him he had claimed the title, which it has awarded since 1985.
- He started as a wide-eyed intern before basically running the ER over 11 seasons.
- “The other night I was sitting in this restaurant with my wife and another couple, and this older couple came to the table, and they said, ‘We love The Pitt. We haven’t missed an episode. I just had surgery. Would you mind taking a look?’ And she rolled up her pant leg and showed me the freshest stitches I’ve seen in a long time. And I said, ‘It looks like it’s healing nicely. Are you putting full weight on it?’ My wife’s like, ‘Are you doing this right now?’” he recalled in his PEOPLE interview.
What's still developing
- “I was so hoping today was going to be the day. ‘Look at you. You’re the Sexiest Man Alive. Finally you can be comfortable in your own skin,’” he told People.
- His family has already started weighing in on the announcement.
- On “The Pitt” — a show for which Noah has won four Emmys — Dr. Robby is a gruff ER doctor who is struggling to figure out how to be in the world after facing his own trauma.
- In the interview with PEOPLE, Noah time and again returns to talking about his wife Sara and kids Owen (24), Auden (21) and Frances (11).
- Lily joined the Pitt star, 55, at a cliffside Malibu estate this August where we shot his stunning cover.
- 19, that Lily died, a loss neither of them saw coming.
- The star of "The Pitt" recently received People's most prestigious pop culture accolade.
- Burney also revealed she had “the honor” of setting and trimming Wyle’s hair to the length and style his character would sport for the third season, consistently maintained by the show’s hair department.
- Asked how his former costar might react, Wyle jokes that Clooney will hopefully feel “like a proud papa, that I’ve come of gray-haired age.” Wyle also acknowledges that navigating fame looks considerably different this time around.
- The 55-year-old actor, who has won Golden Globe and Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch on the HBO medical drama, was revealed as the 2026 titleholder on Oct. 27.
- He stepped away from the show but returned for the finale in 2009.