Noah Wyle reunites with 'ER' co-star Sally Field as 'The Pitt' star reflects on medical drama legacy

Noah Wyle and Sally Field reunited for a candid conversation about their careers, television success and the enduring impact of medical dramas as part of Variety’s latest Actors on Actors series. The discussion brought together two stars whose careers have been shaped by some of television’s most acclaimed series, including ER, Brothers & Sisters and Wyle’s current hit, The Pitt.

During the conversation, Wyle reflected on returning to the medical drama genre with The Pitt, the HBO Max series that has become one of the most acclaimed television dramas of the past two years. The actor previously spent 15 seasons portraying Dr John Carter on ER, one of the most influential medical dramas in television history, before stepping back into a hospital setting as Dr Michael “Robby” Robinavitch in The Pitt.

The reunion carried added significance because Field and Wyle previously shared the screen on ER. Field won an Emmy Award for her guest-starring role as Maggie Wyczenski, the mother of Maura Tierney’s Abby Lockhart, and became one of the show's most memorable recurring performers. Their latest conversation offered a chance to revisit that era while discussing how television has evolved since the height of ER's popularity.

Wyle also spoke about the unexpected success of The Pitt, which has resonated with audiences and critics through its real-time storytelling and unflinching portrayal of the pressures facing healthcare workers. The series has earned widespread acclaim and multiple award nominations, helping to cement Wyle’s return as one of television’s biggest comeback stories.

The actor has previously described The Pitt as a project born out of a desire to shine a spotlight on frontline medical professionals and the realities of modern healthcare. Before developing the series, Wyle and longtime collaborators John Wells and R. Scott Gemmill had explored the possibility of revisiting ER, but those plans ultimately fell through.

Meanwhile, Field reflected on her own decades-long career spanning film, television and theatre. The two actors discussed longevity in Hollywood, the challenges of staying creatively fulfilled and the ways television storytelling has changed over the years.

The Actors on Actors episode arrives as The Pitt continues to build momentum ahead of future seasons, with Wyle remaining at the centre of one of television's most talked-about dramas. For fans of ER, the conversation also served as a nostalgic reunion between two performers whose work helped define a generation of prestige television.