Noah Wyle named People's Sexiest Man Alive 2026, 32 years after ER made him a star

Noah Wyle is People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive for 2026, Variety reported on Tuesday 27 October. It is the first time the actor, best known for two hospital dramas three decades apart, has been given the title.

Wyle told People he could hardly believe it. "I thought that sounded like a prank," he said, adding that he never imagined the honour would come to him.

From ER to The Pitt

Wyle first became famous in 1994 as medical student, later doctor, John Carter on NBC's ER, alongside George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Sherry Stringfield and Julianna Margulies. He was nominated for three Golden Globes and five Emmys over the show's run but never won.

That changed with HBO's The Pitt, where he plays the weary attending physician Dr Michael "Robby" Robinavitch, 16 years after ER ended in 2009. The role has brought him:

• the Golden Globe for best actor in a TV drama in 2026
• the Emmy for best actor in a drama series in both 2025 and 2026

Season 3 of The Pitt is due in January 2027.

Clooney, his old ER colleague, had joked in January at the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards that there should be a "sexiest man still alive" issue, and that he would nominate Wyle first. "When I grow up, I want to be Noah Wyle," he said.

Who came before him

People launched the title in 1985 with Mel Gibson, and 2026 is its 41st year. Wyle takes over from Jonathan Bailey, the Wicked and Bridgerton star, who won in 2025 and was the first openly gay man to hold the title. Earlier winners include:

• Patrick Dempsey
• Chris Evans
• Paul Rudd
• Michael B. Jordan
• John Legend
• Idris Elba

How to watch The Pitt in Pakistan

The Pitt is an HBO Max series; check the service's own site for whether and how it is offered in Pakistan. Streaming plans paid by card are usually charged in dollars, and our currency converter and the dollar rate page show what a monthly plan costs in rupees before card charges.

Semrush estimates about 1,000 searches a month in Pakistan for Wyle's name.