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Noah Wyle is “overwhelmed” by his Emmy nominations for the HBO Max series The Pitt and what they now represent in his career.
The actor, who plays Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch in the hit drama, told PEOPLE at the HBO Max Nominee Celebration in Hollywood on Aug. 17 that his latest Emmy Awards recognition hits a little different this time.
“I’m a little different when it hits. It’s hitting an older man, that’s for sure,” Wyle, 54, says. “And one who’s been around now for 30 years and done a lot of different things and has sort of … I’m overwhelmed by this.”
“I gave up hope that this was going to be something that my career was going to be part of again, that this focus would beyond my work. It’s really amazing,” says Wyle, who is was nominated for Lead Actor in a Drama Series as well as for Outstanding Drama Series (as an executive producer).
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Both nods arrive 26 years after Wyle was last nominated for an Emmy for his work on ER as Dr. John Carter. He was recognized in the Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category five times between 1995 and 1999.
“I go back to giving all the credit to John Wells, who’s the true godfather of [ER and The Pitt] and has been the sort of mentor figure to me over two of the most rewarding creative experiences of my life,” Wyle says of his fellow executive producer. “Anything that I’m doing on this is to please him and to stay under his protective umbrella for as long as I possibly can.”
As for the new audiences tuning in decades after he was introduced to viewers on ER, Wyle says he feels like “the elder statesman” on The Pitt. “You don’t really expect that to happen, but it happened and now I’m watching this wonderful generation of young talent,” he says. “It’s their moment in the sun. It’s even more sweet.”
The first season of The Pitt, which follows employees at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical emergency room, earned 13 total Emmy nominations. Among the nominations, Katherine LaNasa earned a nod for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as charge nurse Dana Evans, with the first-time nominee telling PEOPLE in June that “this level of recognition at this stage of my career is a delightful surprise.”
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In a statement shared with PEOPLE following the Emmy love, Wyle also said he was “overjoyed that the nominations were spread across all the different departments as it reflects our collective effort.”
“A heartfelt congrats to all my fellow nominees. I’m humbled and grateful.”
The Pitt is streaming on HBO Max. Season 2 premieres in January.
The 77th Emmy Awards will air live on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS. See the full list of nominees on the official Emmy’s website.
