‘The Pitt’ Actor Details How He Nearly Starred In ‘Saving Private Ryan’

Noah Wyle, actor and executive producer of the HBO medical drama The Pitt and star of ER for 12 seasons, recently detailed in an interview on the Still Hollywood podcast how he nearly starred in Steven Spielberg’s landmark war drama, Saving Private Ryan.

“I was offered the part of Private Ryan in Saving Private Ryan,” Wyle revealed, “[but] couldn’t get out of ER to do it.” He then went into more detail, saying, “Matt Damon was Private Ryan. There were two. I got offered the part of Upham, which was Jeremy Davies’ part, and he was so phenomenal in that, I couldn’t imagine doing anything close to what he did.”

Wyle also revealed in the interview that he was also offered the lead role in George Clooney’s Good Night and Good Luck. “Good Night, and Good Luck. George Clooney offered me a part in that,” he said. Speaking about these roles he missed out on, Wyle later goes on to say, “I almost am glad that I didn’t do them, because, you know, those guys made those parts.”

A video of Wyle’s comments on the roles he almost got can be viewed in an Instagram post by the Still Hollywood account. The post can be viewed here.