Noah Wyle says success in his 20s taught him that bigger spaces can feel lonelier

• Noah Wyle became a household name in his 20s thanks to "ER."
• But a big house and the trappings of success did not always add up to a fuller life, he said.
• These days, he says meaningful work and family life matter most to him.

Noah Wyle, 55, says his early success made him rethink what a fulfilling life looks like.

Speaking to Amy Poehler on Tuesday's episode of the "Good Hang" podcast, the newly named Sexiest Man Alive said his family taught him to use the opportunities he's had to help others and to be content with what he already has.

Wyle said that lesson stuck with him as his career took off, thanks to his role on "ER."

"I had this wonderful, huge career in my 20s when I got all the big toys, the big house. I got to see what my grandfather said was true," Wyle said. "You can only be in one room at a time. And sometimes the bigger the space, the lonelier the space."

Wyle said that realization has reshaped what he sees as worth pursuing.

"So, I've been on my own journey of defining what is enough and what makes me happy, and I've gotten to a place where it really is defined by meaningful work and meaningful family life," Wyle said. "The Pitt" star has three children from two marriages.

He said feeling fulfilled in his own life has given him room to give back and use the platform that comes with his fame to speak up about issues he cares about.

Wyle has been lending his time to a range of causes this year, including efforts to support healthcare workers and bring more film and TV jobs back to Los Angeles.

"I'm allowed to be philanthropic and feel magnanimous because my cup is full, which is a lovely thing to be able to say," Wyle said.

Other stars have similarly spoken about how getting older has changed the way they define a good life.

Kate Winslet has said that turning 50 changed how she viewed success.

"Success, actually, for me more these days is more about pulling it off, being a decent person. You know, being able to take care of people, having time for friends, also learning how to be OK with not being busy all the time," she said in a Newsweek interview in December.

Jodie Foster has said turning 60 freed her from trying to compete with her younger self.

"Everything changed. I was like, 'Yeah, I don't care. I'm no longer tortured by any of this. I don't know why I seemed to care so much,'" Foster said in a December interview with AARP.