Leaving the sunny isles of Trinidad and Tobago for better opportunities with his mother and older sister, Noel came to Harlem, New York at the age of 11. Initially a shy high schooler with a heavy Caribbean accent and a preference for skateboarding over basketball, Noel found outlets in the movies, comic books, and cartoons which he constantly emulated. During his freshman year at Denzel Washington's alma mater, Fordham University, Noel fell in love with acting after attending a production of Three Penny Opera set in the New York subway system. After getting his MFA in acting at Columbia University, Noel moved to Los Angeles where casting director Johanna Ray saw him in a showcase and cast him in The Black Dahlia.

Twice attempted to bicycle solo from New York to Los Angeles. After three near-drowning incidents, became a NYC lifeguard. Batman Fanatic.