Noah Wyle won the Emmy for Lead Actor in a Drama Series for a second consecutive year for his role in "The Pitt," tearing up as he accepted the award and calling the win overwhelming.
The 55-year-old actor took the prize for his portrayal of Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavich at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, held on Monday, September 14, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Visibly emotional, Wyle told the audience the moment was overwhelming. He then turned to his fellow nominees, saying their work was inspiring, that he watched them and learned from them, and singling out Gary Oldman. Wyle said he did not know an actor of his generation who had not seen "Sid and Nancy" and thought it was the benchmark he hoped to reach at some point in his career.
Speech honors cast and crew
Wyle also thanked all the men and women who work so hard on "The Pitt," noting that the cast and crew would be back on set the next day for more of that hard work.
He said he grew up in Los Angeles and considered himself a child of Hollywood. He added that he was raised on television and that movie theaters had been his place of worship, saying it was the only thing he had ever wanted to do with his life and the only club he had ever wanted to belong to. He thanked the Television Academy for accepting him.
The other nominees
Wyle beat out four other nominees in the Lead Actor in a Drama Series category: Sterling K. Brown for "Paradise," Gary Oldman for "Slow Horses," Mark Ruffalo for "Task" and Rufus Sewell for "The Diplomat."
Wyle, known to a generation of viewers as the star of the medical drama "ER," also won the Lead Actor Emmy at last year's ceremony. As an executive producer on "The Pitt," he additionally received the Emmy for Best Drama Series at that ceremony.
A record-breaking season for The Pitt
"The Pitt" also broke the record this year for the most Emmy nominations ever received by a series in a single season, collecting 25 nominations in total.
Speaking to Deadline in July about that haul, Wyle described the success as a gift that keeps on giving. He said he felt very humbled by it and had felt vindicated many times over.
"The Pitt," a medical drama set in a Pittsburgh hospital, returns to HBO Max with its third season in January 2027.
