Noah Wyle named PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive for 2026

As of 6:39 a.m. ET, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026

Noah Wyle, the star of HBO Max's medical drama "The Pitt," is PEOPLE magazine's Sexiest Man Alive for 2026, the magazine announced in a cover story published Tuesday.

Wyle, 55, told PEOPLE he did not believe it at first. "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," he said.

PEOPLE reported that his wife, Sara, 46, persuaded him to accept the title. "She thinks I'm a good guy and that the kind of person that I am and the kind of father I am, the kind of husband I am, is worth promoting," Wyle told the magazine. "I thought, 'Okay, if you say so.'" He added that "she was very pleased that this reflects well on her taste."

From "ER" to "The Pitt"

Wyle first became famous in the 1990s as Dr. John Carter on NBC's "ER." PEOPLE noted that he and co-stars George Clooney, Eriq La Salle and Anthony Edwards appeared on its "Sexy Men of ER" cover back then. Clooney later won the Sexiest Man Alive title twice.

Wyle now plays Dr. Robby on "The Pitt," which PEOPLE said returns for its third season in January on HBO Max. He described the show to the magazine as the "second lightning strike in my life," and PEOPLE said it has earned him two consecutive best actor Emmys.

In the interview with PEOPLE editor-in-chief Charlotte Triggs, Wyle called himself "the dish maven" at home. "The sink is my domain," he said. "And I would recommend more guys get into the dishwashing, because it's very therapeutic." He said he expects "a lot of ribbing from friends and family."

Wyle follows actor Jonathan Bailey, PEOPLE's 2025 Sexiest Man Alive.