The Pitt star Noah Wyle has been named People's Sexiest Man Alive for 2026, and not everyone is impressed with the choice, as the actor shared after the announcement.
Noah shares his two eldest kids, Owen and Auden, with his ex-wife, Tracy Warbin, and his youngest daughter, Frances, with his current wife, Sara Wyle. He explained to People that while Sara was excited for her husband after finding out he was 2026's Sexiest Man Alive, his children had very different reactions.
Noah Wyle's family reacts
© Getty Images"My son is super practical. He was like, 'Oh, this is going to make my life so much harder now. But that's cool, Dad. But also you know, you invite a lot of haters too,'" the 55-year-old shared.
"My daughter was just like, 'No way, no way.' Because I think she's going to tease me about this for the next 50 years," he added. "I am going to take a lot of ribbing from friends and family for sure."
© Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Sara was more than happy about the decision, as Noah recalled. "She's the reason I accepted because she was very pleased that this confers well on her taste," he quipped. "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. So I thought, okay, if you say so."
As for his own reaction to the news, Noah shared that he initially believed it to be a prank. "Just not in a million years did I think that this would be an honor bestowed on me."
Noah Wyle's journey to the top
Noah shot to fame in the '90s thanks to his role as Dr John Carter in ER opposite George Clooney. The actor enjoyed success for several years, but things took a turn when he struggled to land major roles after the show wrapped.
"Well, not to make it a sob story, but everything I pretty much had made and earned on ER, I spent," he told GQ.
© The Hollywood Reporter via Getty"I'd taken it down to the studs a couple years ago, to the point where I was doing work for the money, for the experience, and for the need to work."
He added: "But I was looking at the rest of my career [thinking], 'Let's shrink this footprint down and turn it into something that's sustainable and manageable." Noah even considered selling his beloved baseball card collection to pay the bills, and briefly put his house on the market in 2020 before taking it off.
© Getty ImagesHe found renewed success with The Pitt, which aired in January 2025 and quickly gained a cult following thanks to its fresh storytelling, realism and swift pacing.
Noah has since won several awards thanks to his portrayal of Dr Michael "Robby" Robinavich in the show, including two Emmys, a Critics Choice Award, a Golden Globe and an Actor Award.
