Noah Wyle, 55, said early success made him rethink what a fulfilling life looked like.
Speaking to Amy Poehler on Tuesday’s episode of the Good Hang podcast, the newly named Sexiest Man Alive said his family taught him to use the opportunities he has to help others and to be content with what he already has.
Wyle said that lesson stuck with him as his career took off due to his role in “ER.”
“I had a wonderful, great career in my 20s when I got all the big toys, the big house. I started to understand that what my grandfather said was true,” Wile said. “You can only be in one room at a time. Sometimes, the bigger the space, the lonelier it becomes.”
Wyer said the realization reshaped what he thought was worth pursuing.
“So, I’ve been on my own journey of defining what is enough and what makes me happy, and I’ve gotten to a place where I’m really defined by meaningful work and a meaningful family life,” Wile said. The “Pete” star has been married twice and has three children.
He says the contentment in his life has given him the space to give back and use the platform his fame has given him to speak out about issues he cares about.
Wyle has dedicated his time this year to a range of causes, including supporting health care workers and bringing more film and television work back to Los Angeles.
“It’s a lovely thing that I can do charity and feel magnanimous because my cup is full,” Wile said.
Other stars have similarly spoken about how getting older has changed the way they define a good life.
Kate Winslet says turning 50 has changed her perspective on success.
“Really, for me right now, success is more about being successful and being a decent person. You know, being able to take care of other people and having time for friends and also learning how to be calm without being busy all the time,” she told Newsweek in December.
Jodie Foster says turning 60 means she no longer has to compete with her younger self.
“Everything changed. I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t care. I don’t suffer from this anymore. I don’t know why I seem to care so much,'” Foster said in a December interview with AARP.