“No second opinion needed” may be the tag line of Noah Wyle’s “Sexiest Man Alive” photo shoot for People Magazine, but the internet is bound to share theirs regardless.
Wyle’s sun-soaked shoot has caused quite a stir online as people debate “The Pitt” star’s accolade, the latest in his resurgence to fame following his initial tenure on medical drama “ER” in the ’90s.
Wyle, who plays Dr. Robby on the hit HBO show, joins a club that in recent years has welcomed “Wicked” star Jonathan Bailey, fellow TV doctor Patrick Dempsey, John Krasinski and more. How do stars prep to be perceived as the sexiest man alive? With a little help from a behind-the-scenes beauty team, of course.
WWD spoke with Los Angeles-based groomer Rachel Burney, who crafted Wyle’s look for the photo shoot, ensuring it matched his on-camera appearances during season three of “The Pitt,” which was filmed at the same time.
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“We like to play with a few different looks, textures and finishes within the limits of his haircut he maintains for the duration of filming,” said Burney, whose celebrity clientele also includes Kieran Culkin and Richard Gere. Burney also revealed she had “the honor” of setting and trimming Wyle’s hair to the length and style his character would sport for the third season, consistently maintained by the show’s hair department.
As for the routine itself, Burney finds herself returning to a few “tried-and-true” products to achieve Wyle’s mature yet simple hairstyle. To add body and texture, Burney begins with the STMNT Wax Powder, finishing with the STMNT matte paste to give and hold the structure in place.
Shooting at a private residence near Deer Creek Beach in Malibu, there was one important factor that influenced Burney’s decisions: the sun. “With the heat and the many different sets we were shooting on, we also had to keep in mind maintaining the longevity of the hair and skin,” said Burney, adding that she had to “move quickly between shots” to keep the hair texture and ensure the skin had “glow” but no “shine,” for which she used products such as the Augustinus Bader Hydrogel Undereye Masks, The Rich Cream and Eye Cream.
The inspiration behind Wyle’s overall rugged look was a combination of pulling from the mood board presented by the “Sexiest Man Alive” team, while incorporating the “textured, casual look that [Wyle] loves and feels most comfortable with” and complimenting stylist Mark Holmes’ direction.
“[Wyle] has had a plethora of different looks throughout his career and having the full beard, longer faded sides and messy texture has been a fun change to this current era,” Burney said. “More than product or how we styled it, it’s always been about making him feel good and confident while being ‘crowned’ a title that made him wince with laughter.”
