Noah Wyle Says “Donnie Darko” Gave Him ‘Street Cred,’ but Jokes That He Still Doesn’t Know ‘What the Movie Is About’ (Exclusive)

Meredith WilshereSun, October 25, 2026 at 7:00 PM UTC

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Noah Wyle in ‘Donnie Darko’; Noah Wyle in 2026Credit: Pandora Cinema/Kobal/Shutterstock; Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty -

Drew Barrymore sent Noah Wyle the Donnie Darko script after the actors connected through a shared publicist

Wyle played Donnie’s science teacher and filmed his role in about three days

The sci-fi thriller’s 25th anniversary is Oct. 26

Noah Wyle is reflecting on the legacy of Donnie Darko ahead of the film’s 25th anniversary on Oct. 26.

The Emmy Award-winning actor, 55, tells PEOPLE that he was originally “sent the script by Drew Barrymore, who was producing it.”

“We shared a publicist and wanted to work together. I thought the script was cool — confusing, but super cool,” Wyle shares.

Barrymore told PEOPLE earlier in October that she “was shocked that no one had said yes yet to the writer actually directing it, and to me it was vital to have that full vision come through.”

The actress, 51, noted that she “loved seeing Noah Wyle, Patrick Swayze and Katharine Ross together” on screen in the Richard Kelly-directed film.

Noah Wyle and Drew Barrymore in ‘Donnie Darko’Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock

The 2001 sci-fi psychological thriller also starred Jake Gyllenhaal as the titular character, a troubled 16-year-old guided by a mysterious figure in a rabbit costume, Frank, as they navigate an unstable parallel universe. Doctors then diagnose Donnie with paranoid schizophrenia, believing Frank is a “daylight hallucination.” Wyle played Dr. Kenneth Monnitoff, a science teacher who fields questions about alternate universes and time travel.

Wyle tells PEOPLE that he doesn’t remember “anything being particularly challenging” about making the movie.

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“I think my part was shot out in about three days. I have nothing but fond memories of working on it,” the Pitt actor says.

Noah Wyle and Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘Donnie Darko’Credit: Dale Robinette/Flower/Gaylord/Adam Fields Prod/Kobal/Shutterstock

Despite working less than a week on set, Wyle says “the film continues to give me street cred” — “maybe more so than anything I’ve ever done.”

“Its lasting impact on cinephiles of all ages has been extremely gratifying. Just don’t ask me what the movie is about…” he jokes.

Kelly, who was just 25 when he directed Donnie Darko, tells PEOPLE he hopes audiences rewatch the movie and “discover new things about it” for the milestone anniversary.

“It’s a big, complicated science fiction story that you can really dive into and explore,” he says. “It takes your mind on a journey when you watch it, because there’s so much going on in the story. And on that journey, you know, you have these wonderful performances. You’ve got so many wonderful actors, and you’ve got some really cool music, and I think the visuals hold up.”

“I’m grateful that we were able to weave the whole package together in a way that’s memorable,” he adds.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”