At a Glance
- Noah Wyle declared himself the “better doctor” than George Clooney on the Golden Globes red carpet
- The two ER icons reunited the night before at the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
- Wyle leads The Pitt, which just premiered season 2 and is filming season 3
- Why it matters: Their enduring chemistry keeps fans hooked decades after ER ended
Noah Wyle brought playful rivalry back to the Golden Globes red carpet on January 11, 2026, jokingly claiming medical superiority over his former ER partner George Clooney.
Red-Carpet Rivalry
Speaking to E! Live from the Red Carpet, the 54-year-old star of HBO’s The Pitt grinned when host Zuri Hall asked who would win a fictional doctor showdown.
“I’m the better doctor,” Wyle said without hesitation. “I’m the better doctor,” he repeated, doubling down as Hall laughed.
“Oh lord,” she replied, “I think I’m starting something here, so I’m going to stand down.”
Awards-Night Reunion
The quip capped a weekend of nostalgia for the pair. One night earlier, at the 2026 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Clooney and Wyle presented each other with honors, marking their first joint appearance of the year.
Wyle told News Of Losangeles the bond forged during ER’s early seasons remains effortless. “It’s catching up when we can, but always from the point where we last left each other,” he said. “Those bonds that were forged during that show are so lovely and intimate that I feel like we don’t have to be totally present in each other’s lives to be able to have a context for each other’s lives.”
Decades of Friendship
The actors first met more than 30 years ago on Michael Crichton’s NBC drama. Clooney, now 64, left after season 5; Wyle stayed through season 11 and returned for the 2009 finale.
Speaking to Variety on the Globes carpet, Wyle called reunions “always wonderful.”
“It’s like the years just fall away every time we do. We pick up right where we left off. And neither of us can believe we’re still getting away with doing what we love to do and having as much fun doing it as we are.”
Future Crossover?
Could Clooney scrub into The Pitt’s recently announced third season? “He keeps saying he wants to come on the show,” Wyle teased. “But I don’t think he quite understands how hard we work!”
The Pitt films on a tight schedule. Season 2 premiered this week while production on season 3 continues. “We’re all here,” Wyle said of his castmates. “We were given a little bit of a later crew call tomorrow!”
Awards Season Momentum
Wyle leads The Pitt as actor, executive producer and writer. The R. Scott Gemmill-created drama won last year’s Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series and earned Wyle the trophy for lead actor. He is nominated again at the 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards in the Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama category.
The ceremony, hosted by Nikki Glaser, aired live from the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on January 11 at 8 p.m. EST on CBS and Paramount+.
