Noah Wyle has been given an unexpected honor in his long-running acting career. The 55-year-old star of HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” has been named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2026, joining a list of Hollywood actors who have received the annual honor.

“At first I thought it was a prank,” Wyle said. “I never in a million years thought this would be an honor given to me,” he said to People.

The actor also joked about what the title might mean for his future. “I hope this changes it all. Hopefully from here on in it’s wine and roses and milk and honey,” he said with a laugh. “But I expect to be teased by friends and family over the honor.”

Noah Wyle’s Career Stretches Back to ‘ER’

Wyle’s move follows a successful stint on The Pitt, where he portrays Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, a physician at a Pittsburgh trauma center. The performance has earned him two Emmy Awards, adding to a career more than three decades long.

Wyle is best known for playing Dr. John Carter on ER before taking on the role of Dr. Robby. The long-running medical drama, which premiered in 1994, became one of television’s most recognizable hospital dramas. Wyle was a familiar face to audiences long before The Pitt came along thanks to his role as Carter.

His association with ER also ties him to another recipient of People‘s annual prize. George Clooney, Wyle’s co-star on the medical drama, has been named Sexiest Man Alive twice.

Wyle joins a list of past honorees including Michael B. Jordan, Idris Elba, John Krasinski and Paul Rudd. The recognition is a different kind of milestone for an actor whose career has largely focused on television roles rather than celebrity awards of this nature. His startled response suggests that the announcement was not something he had anticipated.

With The Pitt reintroducing him to the public, and his performance gaining award attention, Wyle has reasserted himself as a major television force. The Sexiest Man Alive title is just the latest talking point for an actor whose career began on ER and keeps finding new audiences with each new medical drama.