Noah Wyle named People's Sexiest Man Alive 2026

The new titleholder

People magazine has officially named 55-year-old actor, director and producer Noah Wyle the Sexiest Man Alive 2026, Euronews reports. According to Wyle himself in an interview with the magazine, at first he thought the news was a prank: 'even in my wildest dreams I couldn't imagine being given such an honor.' He joked that he hopes for 'nothing but wine and roses' from now on, but in reality expects 'plenty of teasing from friends and family.' The issue with his cover and a big feature about him will be out on November 9.

A doctor at the peak of his career

The magazine's choice naturally coincided with the peak of the actor's career, known precisely for his doctor roles: in the 1990s he played Dr. John Carter in the medical drama ER, and now he stars as Dr. Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch in the HBO Max series The Pitt. For this role he won this year's Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series, four Primetime Emmy Awards (including Best Actor in 2025 and 2026) and two Writers Guild of America awards. The premiere of the third season of The Pitt is scheduled for January 2027. In the interview, Wyle also spoke about his habit of buying things on Instagram, his dislike of being late, his fear of maggots, and his hidden talent for catching flies with 'very, very fast hands.'

The title's 41st anniversary

The Sexiest Man Alive feature was established in 1985, with Mel Gibson as its first honoree; in 2026 the title marks its 41st anniversary. Wyle succeeds the star of Wicked and Jurassic World: Rebirth, Jonathan Bailey, who last year became the first openly gay man to receive the title. Past honorees include Patrick Dempsey, Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Michael B. Jordan, John Legend, Idris Elba, George Clooney and Harrison Ford.