Noah Wyle has been named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2026, taking the title from Wicked star Jonathan Bailey.
Wyle, 55, was recognised following his role in The Pitt, succeeding Bailey, 38, who received the honour in 2025 as the magazine marked its 40th anniversary.
Reacting to the announcement, Wyle said: “I thought that sounded like a prank – just not in a million years did I think that this would be an honour bestowed on me.”
The actor joins a long line of Hollywood stars, musicians, sportsmen and public figures to have appeared on the annual cover.
People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive winners
The first recipient was Mel Gibson in 1985, when he was enjoying major success with the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon films. Mark Harmon followed in 1986, before Harry Hamlin took the title in 1987 after rising to prominence in LA Law.
John F. Kennedy Jr became the youngest winner in 1988, aged 27. The son of John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy died 11 years later when the light aircraft he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Martha’s Vineyard.
Sean Connery became the oldest recipient when he won in 1989 at the age of 59. The Scottish actor, best known for playing James Bond, died in October 2020 aged 90.
Tom Cruise received the title in 1990, following his breakout roles in Top Gun and Risky Business. Patrick Swayze was named the winner the following year, while Nick Nolte took the honour in 1992.
There was no individual winner in 1993 or 1994. Instead, Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford were named Sexiest Couple Alive in 1993; Gere went on to win the individual title in 1999.
Brad Pitt has won twice, first in 1995 and again in 2000. Other notable recipients from the period include Denzel Washington, George Clooney and Harrison Ford.
George Clooney won for a second time in 2006, having first received the title in 1997. He was recognised in the same year that he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Syriana and received further Oscar nominations for Good Night, and Good Luck.
The 2000s also saw Pierce Brosnan, Ben Affleck, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Matthew McConaughey, Matt Damon and Hugh Jackman take the title. Depp won again in 2009.
Ryan Reynolds followed in 2010, joking that the most difficult part would be “organically working this title into a conversation with random strangers”. Bradley Cooper was named in 2011 and said he was “a decent-looking guy”, although he added that at times he could look “horrifying”.
Channing Tatum, Adam Levine, Chris Hemsworth and David Beckham were among the subsequent winners, before Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took the title in 2016.
More recent recipients have included Blake Shelton, Idris Elba, John Legend, Michael B Jordan, Paul Rudd, Chris Evans, Patrick Dempsey and John Krasinski, leading up to Bailey’s win in 2025.
