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Noah Wyle is remembering the last time he had the chance to meet and spend time with George Clooney.
The two actors have been friends for decades, having co-starred on the medical drama ER, which aired from 1994 to 2009. While chatting exclusively with PEOPLE at the 2026 AARP Adult Film Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, Wiley, 54, said they are always together when their busy schedules allow.
“It was one night, either at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles while he was working, or I was working on something and he was in New Vancouver,” the Pitt star said, recalling a recent dinner.
“It’s one of those… ‘Are you in New York now?’ kind of spontaneous night where you think it’s going to last a few hours and end up spending half the night,” he added.
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Wiley told PEOPLE that when they reunite to catch up, it’s “always from the point where they last broke up.”
“The bonds that were formed on that show were so lovely and intimate that I feel like we can understand the context of each other’s lives without being fully involved in each other’s lives,” he explained, referring to the time they spent in the emergency room many years ago.
Reflecting on his friendship with the Good Night and Good Luck star, Wylie added: “He’s really been a touchstone in my life and just seems to show up regularly at the right times.”
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The two shared a special moment at the AARP event and presented each other with their respective awards. Clooney won best actor for his role in Jay Kelly, while Wylie won the same award in the television category for his role as Dr. Michael Robinavich in The Pit.
Clooney recalled meeting Wiley for the first time in 1993 on stage to present the Best Actor award to a friend.
“He was wise beyond his years from the beginning, from the beginning,” the Wolfs actor recalled. “He was also the kindest person ever. We became very close friends very early on and have remained that way for more than 30 years.”
“I’m so proud to call him a friend and so proud to call him a colleague,” Clooney jokingly added, “and when I grow up, I want to be Noah Wyle.”
Later, as Wiley walked the red carpet at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards on January 11, he playfully declared to E! Live from the red carpet shows Clooney’s on-air medical skills are no match for his own.
When host Zuri Hall asked who was more qualified, Wiley replied, “I’m the better doctor.” “I’m a better doctor,” he repeated with a smile.
