A disbelief-filled first reaction
Noah Wyle has been chosen as People's Sexiest Man Alive for 2026, the first time the honor has gone to him. Speaking with the magazine about the award, the star of HBO's The Pitt recalled that he could not take the news seriously at first, describing it as something that sounded like a joke and saying he had never imagined such a distinction would come his way.[S1]
He went on to joke about what the title might bring, suggesting he hoped life would become nothing but wine and roses and milk and honey from that point forward before laughing off his own remark. Whatever perks arrive, he said, he fully expects to be teased about the honor by the people closest to him.[S1]
From ER's John Carter to The Pitt's Robby
Television viewers first met Wyle as John Carter, a medical student who became a doctor on NBC's ER, a series whose ensemble also featured George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Sherry Stringfield and Julianna Margulies. Across the show's run he collected three Golden Globe nominations and five Emmy nominations, though he did not win either prize.[S1]
At the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards in January, Clooney joked that the organization ought to publish a sexiest man still alive issue and said he would put Wyle forward as the first name, adding that he aspired to be like him when he grew up.[S1]
Wyle, who had played Dr. John Carter on ER, took on another medical part in HBO's The Pitt, portraying Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch, a veteran attending physician with a sour outlook. That performance earned him the 2026 Golden Globe for best actor in a drama series, plus Emmys in the same category in 2025 and 2026. A third season of the show is set to debut in January 2027, roughly sixteen years after ER wrapped in 2009.[S1]
A title with four decades of history
People's Sexiest Man Alive feature was started in 1985 by Mel Gibson, and the 2026 edition is its 41st year. Wyle takes over from Wicked star Jonathan Bailey, the 2025 recipient and the first openly gay man to hold the title. Other past honorees include Patrick Dempsey, Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Michael B. Jordan, John Legend and Idris Elba.[S1]
Outlets across the country carried word of the selection, with Entertainment Weekly reporting the announcement and stations including KMVT, WGEM, WLFI, WVLT and Yahoo relaying that the star of The Pitt had received the 2026 designation.[S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7]
