Noah Wyle Is People’s Sexiest Man Alive, and His Wife Is the Reason He Accepted

There’s a new Sexiest Man Alive , and he’s spent more than a few years making women swoon in scrubs. People has named Noah Wyle its 2026 Sexiest Man Alive . The 55-year-old actor, best known for playing Dr. John Carter on ER and Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch on The Pitt , says he initially thought the news was a prank. “I thought that sounded like a prank,” he told People. “Just not in a million years did I think that this would be an honor bestowed on me.” Fortunately for his fans, his wife, Sara, helped change his mind. “She’s the reason I accepted because she was very pleased that this reflects well on her taste,” he says. “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. I thought, ‘Okay, if you say so.’ ” His Wife Convinced Him to Say Yes Wyle told People that Sara was pleased the honor reflected well on her taste, but she also thought the kind of husband and father he is was worth celebrating. The couple married in 2014 and share a daughter, Frances. Wyle also has two children, Owen and Auden, from his previous marriage. The actor shared a sweet detail from their courtship: When they couldn’t be together, he made Sara books filled with photos, drawings, poems, and mementos from their dates. As for the secret to a happy marriage? Wyle told People that humor goes a long way , especially when life gets hard. From ER to The Pitt If Wyle looks familiar, there’s a good chance you first fell for him on ER . He played the young Dr. John Carter on the hit medical drama beginning in 1994, alongside George Clooney, who would go on to win Sexiest Man Alive twice. More than 30 years later, Wyle is back in the emergency room on The Pitt , playing a veteran physician leading a busy Pittsburgh hospital team. The role has brought him renewed attention and two consecutive lead actor Emmys . Who Else Has Been Sexiest Man Alive? Wyle follows Bridgerton and Wicked star Jonathan Bailey , who received the title in 2025. Other recent winners include John Krasinski in 2024, Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey in 2023, Chris Evans in 2022, and Paul Rudd in 2021. Between Clooney, Dempsey, and now Wyle, it’s safe to say People has a soft spot for a handsome TV doctor. And judging by the stories Wyle shared about his wife, the man behind Dr. Robby might be just as charming.