People’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ Faces Shocking Backlash
“Wasn’t anyone else available?”
People magazine
People magazine’s decision to name The Pitt star Noah Wyle its “Sexiest Man Alive” has been met with a surprising backlash.
The 55-year-old actor, who has won Golden Globe and Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch on the HBO medical drama, was revealed as the 2026 titleholder on Oct. 27.
Within six hours, People’s Instagram post of the cover drew over 2,700 comments from readers sharing their opinions.
Noah Wyle was People magazine's choice for “Sexiest Man Alive.”
People magazine
Many of the top comments questioned the choice People’s staffers made.
“Even you don’t believe THIS is the sexiest man alive,” one comment with over 3,000 likes read.
Noah Wyle as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch in “The Pitt.”
Warrick Page/Courtesy HBO Max
Another comment with over 9,600 likes asked: “Did all the other men die?”
Some commenters were not happy with People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” choice.
Instagram/People
“Imagine accepting this award and then almost everyone is like, ‘wasn’t anyone else available?’” one commenter wrote.
Shawn Hatosy at the 31st annual Critics’ Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, in January 2026.
Mike Blake/Reuters
Many commenters said they thought the title belonged to Shawn Hatosy, 50, another Pitt star.
Many commenters said they would have chosen Noah Wyle’s costar, Shawn Hatosy, for the title.
Instagram/People
“How did y’all aim to the right show and MISS COMPLETELY?!?” one commenter asked. “Shawn Hatosy was right there.”
Long before his "The Pitt" stardom, Noah Wyle played Dr. John Carter in the hit medical drama “ER.”
NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Despite the backlash, the cover photo got over 62,000 likes, and Wyle also had fans in the comments.
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“This one is for the millennials. We love John Carter!” one person wrote. Wyle played Dr. Carter in NBC’s medical drama ER from 1994 to 2005, and made cameos in 2006 and 2009.
George Clooney and Noah Wyle at the 2026 Annual Movies for Grownups Awards in Beverly Hills, California.
Maarten De Boer/Getty Images for AARP
His co-star, George Clooney, won the “Sexiest Man Alive” title twice during the show’s run, in 1997 and 2006.
In January, Clooney joked that he wishes there was a “sexiest man still alive” award. “I would nominate Noah Wyle as the first guy,” he said. “When I grow up, I want to be Noah Wyle.”
Noah Wyle also had fans defending him.
Instagram/People
One fan emphasized that the title isn’t just about looks, saying charisma, character, and cultural significance also matter when making the choice.
“It’s about the whole person, not JUST a handsome face or a perfect body,” one person wrote. “And for the record, I think he’s absolutely gorgeous and aging like fine wine!”
Noah Wyle won two Emmy Awards in 2025 for his work as an actor and an executive producer in “The Pitt.”
David Jon/Getty Images for HBO Max
Wyle was first hesitant to accept the coveted title, given before him to actors like Brad Pitt and Matthew McConaughey.
“I thought that sounded like a prank—just not in a million years did I think that this would be an honor bestowed on me,” he told People.
But his wife of 12 years, Sara, persuaded him to accept it.
Noah Wyle and Sara Wells on the red carpet at the Actor Awards in Los Angeles, California, in March 2026.
Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
“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,” Wyle said.
Wyle is a father of three. He shares his oldest children, Owen, 24, and Auden, 21, with his ex-wife, Tracy Warbin.
He and Sara welcomed their daughter, Frances, in June 2015.
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