Last year, former “ER” resident Noah Wyle returned to our screens after a lengthy hiatus from hospitals to deliver what has become arguably the definitive must-watch show on HBO Max, “The Pitt.” Now in its second season, the series’ winning streak with awards and audiences remains unabated, with most of the praise going to Wyle as chief attendant, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch. While it’s hard to imagine Wyle without a stethoscope around his neck thanks to his turn in this medical drama, or his ’90s role as John Carter alongside George Clooney in “ER,” the actor made a killer comeback and had some other memorable appearances elsewhere.
Besides stitching up patients, Wyle also fought back against alien invaders in the short-lived Steven Spielberg-produced science fiction series, “Falling Skies.” He also stepped into the worn-down sneakers of one of the most influential tech names in history when he played Steve Jobs in the TV movie “Pirates of Silicon Valley.” Prior to all that, though, he was interrogated by Tom Cruise in one of the greatest courtroom dramas of all time when he took on a small role in the late, great Rob Reiner’s 1992 movie, “A Few Good Men.” Wyle played an innocent and good-hearted soldier, Corporal Jeffrey Barnes, a gig he never forgot even years later.
Noah Wyle’s look in A Few Good Men saw him treated very differently in real life
During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Wyle recalled being among the ranks for a film that featured Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and Jack Nicholson. For Wyle, taking on the role of a Marine meant getting a severe haircut, which proved to be a game-changer for his pickup basketball games.
“I would’ve been 20 years old. I had never shaved my head before,” Wyle explained. “I remember the day I shaved my head; everybody treated me differently in that pickup game.” Wyle described his trim as a “high and tight Marine cut,” earning him respect on the court. “It was this one window where I was a Jarhead, and they didn’t want to mess with me.”
As for actually taking part in the movie, one moment stuck with Wyle during the early days of production: a table read-through of the script that made him drastically switch gears. “You’re not trying, and that was the energy as it began, and as soon as Jack Nicholson began to read his part, he gave the performance that he gave in the movie that day, and as soon as he spoke, it was like, ‘Oh, we’re really doing this.'” He added that his first thought after that was: “This is what pro ball feels like.” Now, after becoming a two-time Emmy winner, it’s safe to say he’s rightfully earned his place there, and he didn’t need a haircut to do it.
