Neil Patrick Harris
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Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout his career, including a
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
, five
Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
, and nominations for a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
and three
Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
. On television, he is known for playing the title character on the ABC series '' Doogie Howser, M.D.'' (1989–1993), for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy, as well as
Barney Stinson Barnabus Stinson is a fictional character portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris and created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series '' How I Met Your Mother'' (2005–2014). One of the show's main characters, Barney is known ...
on the CBS series ''
How I Met Your Mother ''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom, created by Craig Thomas (screenwriter), Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005 to March 31, 2014, follows the main c ...
'' (2005–2014, for which he was nominated for four
Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
), and Count Olaf on the
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
series ''
A Series of Unfortunate Events ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' is a series of thirteen children's novels written by American author Daniel Handler under the pen name Lemony Snicket. The books follow the turbulent lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire. After their ...
'' (2017–2019). Harris is also known for his role as the title character in
Joss Whedon Joseph Hill Whedon (; born June 23, 1964) is an American filmmaker, composer, and comic book writer. He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions, co-founder of Bellwether Pictures, and is best known as the creator of several television serie ...
's musical '' Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog'' (2008) and a fictional version of himself in the '' Harold & Kumar'' film series (2004–2011). His other films include ''
Starship Troopers ''Starship Troopers'' is a military science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Written in a few weeks in reaction to the US suspending nuclear tests, the story was first published as a two-part serial in ''The Magazine of F ...
'' (1997), ''
Beastly ''Beastly'' is a 2007 novel by Alex Flinn. It is a retelling of the fairytale ''Beauty and the Beast'' set in modern-day New York City from the view of the beast. Flinn researched many versions of the ''Beauty and the Beast'' story to write her b ...
'' (2011), ''
The Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and in ...
'' (2011), '' The Smurfs 2'' (2013), ''
A Million Ways to Die in the West ''A Million Ways to Die in the West'' is a 2014 American Western dark comedy film directed by Seth MacFarlane and written by MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild. The film features an ensemble cast including MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Am ...
'' (2014), and '' Gone Girl'' (2014). In 2010, Harris won two awards at the
62nd Primetime Emmy Awards The 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, were held on Sunday, August 29, 2010, at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California beginning at 5:00 p.m. PDT (00:00 UTC; August 30). Com ...
, winning for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his guest appearance on '' Glee'', and Outstanding Special Class Program for hosting the
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
in 2009; he has won the latter award three additional times for hosting the show in 2011, 2012, and 2013. He also hosted the
Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
in 2009 and 2013, and hosted the
87th Academy Awards The 87th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2014 and took place on February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30  ...
in 2015, thus making him the first openly gay man to host the
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
. In 2014, he starred in the title role in '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' on Broadway, for which he won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. Harris was named one of ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2010. He is married to David Burtka. In 2010, they had twins via surrogacy.


Early life

Harris was born in
Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding i ...
, and grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico, with his older brother and their parents, Sheila Gail (née Scott; born 1946) and Ronald Gene Harris (born 1946). His parents were lawyers and also ran a restaurant.''
Finding Your Roots ''Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'' is a documentary television series hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. that premiered on March 25, 2012, on PBS. In each episode, celebrities are presented with a "book of life" that is compiled wi ...
'', February 23, 2016, PBS
He attended
La Cueva High School La Cueva High School is a public high school located in northeast Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, within the Albuquerque Public Schools District. Its mascot is the Bears. The La Cueva feeder schools include Desert Ridge, Madison, and Eis ...
in Albuquerque, graduating with high honors in 1991, which he attributes to being privately tutored half the school year while on set.


Career


Film

Harris began his career as a child actor and was discovered by playwright Mark Medoff at a drama camp in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Medoff later cast him in the 1988 drama film ''
Clara's Heart ''Clara's Heart'' is a 1988 American drama film, based on Joseph Olshan's novel of the same name, directed by Robert Mulligan, written by Mark Medoff and is also Neil Patrick Harris' debut role. Plot The film tells the story of a family in cri ...
'', starring Whoopi Goldberg and based on the novel of the same name by
Joseph Olshan Joseph Olshan is an American novelist. Life and career Olshan is the author of ten novels, most recently, ''Black Diamond Fall'' (Polis Books, 2018). His first novel, ''Clara's Heart'', won the '' Times''/Jonathan Cape Young Writers' Competition ...
. ''Clara's Heart'' earned Harris a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
nomination. The same year, he starred in ''
Purple People Eater Purple is any of a variety of colors with hue between red and blue. In the RGB color model used in computer and television screens, purples are produced by mixing red and blue light. In the RYB color model historically used by painters, p ...
'', a children's fantasy. Harris's first film role as an adult was 1995's '' Animal Room'', although he portrayed a teenager. His subsequent film work has included supporting roles in ''
The Next Best Thing ''The Next Best Thing'' is a 2000 American comedy-drama film directed by John Schlesinger (his final feature film before his death in 2003) about two best friends who have a child together and a custody battle years after. Starring Madonna, Rup ...
'', '' Undercover Brother'', and ''
Starship Troopers ''Starship Troopers'' is a military science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Written in a few weeks in reaction to the US suspending nuclear tests, the story was first published as a two-part serial in ''The Magazine of F ...
''. In 2004, Harris played a fictionalized, hyper-womanising, lewd version of himself in the ''Harold and Kumar'' stoner
comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...
s ''
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle ''Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle'' (released in some international markets as ''Harold & Kumar Get the Munchies'') is a 2004 American buddy stoner comedy film directed by Danny Leiner, written by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, and starr ...
''. It was the shift from roles associated with his sanitized "Doogie Howser" character to the more unscrupulous and bawdy part in the ''Harold & Kumar'' franchise that liberated Harris and revitalized his acting career, leading to his now-iconic role of Barney Stinson in ''How I Met Your Mother'' the following year. He would go on to reprise this role in the sequels: '' Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay'' and ''
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas ''A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas'' (previously titled ''A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas'') is a 2011 American buddy stoner comedy film directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson and written by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. The sequel to ''Harol ...
''. In 2010, Harris provided
voice acting Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists, dubbing artists, voice talent, voice-over artists, or voice-over talen ...
for the role of the adult Dick Grayson (
Nightwing Nightwing is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character has appeared in various incarnations; the identity was adopted by Dick Grayson when he left his role as Batman's vigilante partner Robin. Although ...
) in the animated film '' Batman: Under the Red Hood'' and the beagle Lou in the film '' Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore''. The same year, he played the lead in the indie comedy ''
The Best and the Brightest ''The Best and the Brightest'' (1972) is an account by journalist David Halberstam of the origins of the Vietnam War published by Random House. The focus of the book is on the foreign policy crafted by academics and intellectuals who were in Pr ...
''. On March 7, 2010, he made a surprise appearance at the
82nd Academy Awards The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2009 and took place on March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p. ...
, delivering the opening musical number. He starred in the films ''
The Smurfs ''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and in ...
'' (2011) and '' The Smurfs 2'' (2013). Harris provided the voice of Steve the Monkey in the '' Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs'' film franchise. In 2014, Harris showed a more serious side in '' Gone Girl'', directed by
David Fincher David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. His films, mostly psychological thrillers and biographical dramas, have received 40 nominations at the Academy Awards, including three for him as Best Director. F ...
. Harris co-starred in the film as Desi Collings, the wealthy and obsessed ex-boyfriend of Amy Dunne, played by Rosamund Pike. Harris has said: "I was pinching myself at the opportunity" to work with Fincher. He received general praise from critics for his performance, as did the film. On February 22, 2015, Harris hosted the
87th Academy Awards The 87th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2014 and took place on February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30  ...
; it was his first time hosting the ceremony, and the first time an openly gay man hosted the
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
. In October 2019, it was announced Harris would star in the fourth installment of the ''Matrix'' franchise.


Stage

Harris has worked on Broadway in both musical and dramatic roles. He played Tobias Ragg in the 2001 concert performances of '' Sweeney Todd''. In 2002, he performed beside
Anne Heche Anne Celeste Heche ( ; May 25, 1969August 11, 2022) was an American actress, known for her roles in a variety of genres in film, television, and theater, receiving numerous accolades, including a National Board of Review Award and multiple Emmy ...
in ''
Proof Proof most often refers to: * Proof (truth), argument or sufficient evidence for the truth of a proposition * Alcohol proof, a measure of an alcoholic drink's strength Proof may also refer to: Mathematics and formal logic * Formal proof, a c ...
''. In 2003, he took the role of the Emcee in ''
Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...
'' alongside Deborah Gibson and Tom Bosley. As a result of his critically acclaimed performance in ''Cabaret'', Harris was named the top-drawing headliner in the role of the Emcee by GuestStarCasting.com, outranking fellow celebrity stars
John Stamos John Phillip Stamos ( ; born August 19, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He first gained recognition for his contract role as Blackie Parrish on the ABC television soap opera '' General Hospital'', for which he was nominated for the ...
and
Alan Cumming Alan Cumming (born 27 January 1965) is a British actor. His London stage appearances include ''Hamlet'', the Maniac in '' Accidental Death of an Anarchist'' (for which he received an Olivier Award), the lead in '' Bent'', The National Theatre ...
. In 2004, he performed the dual role of the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald on Broadway in the revival of
Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...
's musical ''
Assassins An assassin is a person who commits targeted murder. Assassin may also refer to: Origin of term * Someone belonging to the medieval Persian Ismaili order of Assassins Animals and insects * Assassin bugs, a genus in the family ''Reduviid ...
''. He also sang the role of Charles (initially played by
Anthony Perkins Anthony Perkins (April 4, 1932 – September 12, 1992) was an American actor, director, and singer. Perkins is best remembered for his role as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's suspense thriller '' Psycho'', which made him an influentia ...
in a 1966 ABC telecast) on the
Nonesuch __NOTOC__ Nonesuch may refer to: Plants * '' Lychnis chalcedonica'', a wildflower * ''Medicago lupulina'', a wildflower Places and structures *Nonesuch, Kentucky *Nonesuch Island, Bermuda *Nonesuch Mine, Michigan *Nonesuch Palace, mis-spelling of ...
recording of Sondheim's '' Evening Primrose'' and portrayed Mark Cohen in the 1997 touring company of the musical ''
Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...
'', a role he satirized on the January 10, 2009 episode of ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'', which he hosted. In 2010, Harris directed a production of the
rock musical A rock musical is a musical theatre work with rock music. The genre of rock musical may overlap somewhat with album musicals, concept albums and song cycles, as they sometimes tell a story through the rock music, and some album musicals and con ...
''
Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...
'' at the
Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018. The Hollywood Bowl is known for its distin ...
; he cast his ''
Beastly ''Beastly'' is a 2007 novel by Alex Flinn. It is a retelling of the fairytale ''Beauty and the Beast'' set in modern-day New York City from the view of the beast. Flinn researched many versions of the ''Beauty and the Beast'' story to write her b ...
'' co-star Vanessa Hudgens as Mimi. In 2011, Harris played the lead role of Bobby in
Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...
's ''
Company A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared ...
'' with the
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...
in concert, opposite
Patti LuPone Patti Ann LuPone (born April 21, 1949) is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of F ...
and others. That same year, he directed ''The Expert at the Card Table'' at Broad Stage's Edye in
Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to ...
. Harris has hosted the Tony Awards four times: the 63rd Tony Awards on June 7, 2009, the
65th Tony Awards The 65th Annual Tony Awards was held on June 12, 2011 to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2010–2011 season. They were held at the Beacon Theatre, ending a fourteen-year tradition of holding the ceremony at Radio City Mu ...
on June 12, 2011, the 66th Tony Awards on June 10, 2012, and the
67th Tony Awards The 67th Annual Tony Awards were held June 9, 2013, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2012–13 season. The ceremony returned to Radio City Music Hall in New York City, after two years at Beacon Theatre, and was broadcas ...
on June 9, 2013. Only Dame
Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...
, with five ceremonies, has hosted the Tony Awards more times. Hosting the Tony Awards has earned him four
Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 for the 63rd, 65th, 66th and 67th, respectively. A week after hosting the Tonys, it was announced that Harris would portray the titular role in the first Broadway production of the rock musical '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', which he did from March through August 2014. Harris went on to win the 2014 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. In 2022, he joined the New York City Center
Encores! Encores! is a Tony-honored concert series dedicated to performing rarely heard American musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, Encores! has revived shows by Irving Berlin, Rodgers & ...
presentation of
Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...
's ''
Into the Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...
'' as The Baker opposite
Sara Bareilles Sara Beth Bareilles (, ; born December 7, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She has sold over three million albums and over 15 million singles in the United States. She has earned various awards and nominations including nin ...
as The Baker's Wife. The cast also included Heather Hedley,
Gavin Creel Gavin James Creel (born April 18, 1976) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter best known for his work in musical theater. Creel made his Broadway debut in 2002 in the leading role of Jimmy in ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' before starring a ...
, and
Denée Benton Denée Ayana Benton (born December 31, 1991) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her performance as Natasha Rostova in the 2016 musical '' Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812'' on Broadway, for which she was nominated ...
The limited production ran from May 4 to May 15.


Television

Beginning in 1989, Harris played the title role of a child prodigy doctor in '' Doogie Howser, M.D.'', for which he was nominated for a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
. After the show's four-season run ended in 1993, Harris played a number of guest roles on television series, including ''
Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The seri ...
''. From 1999 to 2000, he starred with Tony Shalhoub in the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
sitcom '' Stark Raving Mad'', which lasted 22 episodes. He has played lead roles in a number of made-for-television features including '' Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story'' in 1994, ''
My Ántonia ''My Ántonia'' ( ) is a novel published in 1918 by American writer Willa Cather, considered one of her best works. The novel tells the stories of an orphaned boy from Virginia, Jim Burden, and the elder daughter in a family of Bohemian immigran ...
'' in 1995, ''The Christmas Wish'' in 1998, ''
Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...
'' in 1999, ''The Wedding Dress'' in 2001, and ''The Christmas Blessing'' in 2005. From 2005 to 2014, Harris played
Barney Stinson Barnabus Stinson is a fictional character portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris and created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series '' How I Met Your Mother'' (2005–2014). One of the show's main characters, Barney is known ...
, a serial womanizer, in the CBS ensemble sitcom ''
How I Met Your Mother ''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom, created by Craig Thomas (screenwriter), Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005 to March 31, 2014, follows the main c ...
''. The role earned him
Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nominations every year from 2007 to 2010. In 2008, Harris guest-starred on ''
Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...
'' as the Sesame Street Fairy Shoe Person. In 2009, he hosted the 7th Annual
TV Land Awards The TV Land Icon Awards was an American television awards ceremony that generally commemorates shows now off the air, rather than in current production as with the Emmys. Created by Executive Producer Michael Levitt, the awards were hosted and broa ...
and appeared as a guest judge on Season 9 of ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
''. Harris hosted the
61st Primetime Emmy Awards The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 20, 2009. CBS broadcast the Primetime event and E! broadcast the Creative Arts event; both took place at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The nominations were announced on J ...
on September 20, 2009. On August 21, 2010, he won two
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
s at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony, one of which was for his guest performance in the television series '' Glee''. Harris hosted the
65th Primetime Emmy Awards The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, honoring the best in prime time television programming from June 1, 2012 until May 31, 2013, were held on Sunday, September 22, 2013 at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California. CBS televised the cer ...
on September 22, 2013, marking his second time hosting the event. After a preview at the San Diego Comic-Con, a musical episode of '' Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' featuring Harris as the villainous Music Meister premiered on October 23, 2009, on
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
. As a character who could make anyone do his bidding by singing, he spent most of the episode singing several original songs. In 2010, Harris filmed a
pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
episode for an American adaptation of the British
game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or Let's Play, demonstrative and are typically directed b ...
'' The Cube'' as host, though it was not picked up to series. In 2014, Harris turned down the chance to replace David Letterman as host of the ''Late Show'' on CBS, stating that he feared he would get bored of the repetition that hosting a nightly talk show would entail. He also rejected the suggestion of replacing Craig Ferguson as host of ''The Late Late Show'' on the same grounds, although he claims he was never actually offered either job. On September 15, 2015, ''
Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris ''Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris'' (or ''Best Time Ever'') is an American live television variety series adaptation of the British variety series ''Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway''. The one-hour show is hosted and executive-produced ...
'', a live variety series hosted by Harris on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
, made its debut but was cancelled after an eight-episode run. On January 15, 2016,
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
cast Harris in the television adaptation of ''
A Series of Unfortunate Events ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' is a series of thirteen children's novels written by American author Daniel Handler under the pen name Lemony Snicket. The books follow the turbulent lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire. After their ...
'', in which he stars as Count Olaf. It ran for 3 seasons and 25 episodes before ending on January 1, 2019. On March 31, 2017, NBC picked up Harris's game show titled ''
Genius Junior ''Genius Junior'' is an American television game show that debuted on March 18, 2018 on NBC, during the 2017–18 season. In March 2017, NBC ordered ten episodes for the first season of the series, which was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. The s ...
'', the format would test the smarts of the most brilliant children in the country. Harris would serve as host and executive producer. The series received a 10-episode order and debuted on March 18, 2018. In January 2021, Harris starred in the British drama series, ''
It's a Sin "It's a Sin" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their second studio album, ''Actually'' (1987). Written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, the song was released on 15 June 1987 as the album's lead single. It became the duo's ...
'', broadcast on
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
, depicting the 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. In June 2021, Harris was announced to be a judge on '' Australia's Got Talent: Challengers & Champions'', a spin-off series of '' Australia's Got Talent''. In June 2022, it was announced that Harris would play a villain for the 60th anniversary of ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
''. In July 2022, Harris starred in the Netflix series ''
Uncoupled ''Uncoupled'' is an American romantic comedy television series created and written by Darren Star and Jeffrey Richman that premiered on Netflix on July 29, 2022. The series featured in the Netflix top 10s for 1 week with 26.52M global hours watc ...
'' as gay Manhattanite Michael Lawson, a
realtor A real estate agent or real estate broker is a person who represents sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and agen ...
re-navigating the dating scene after 17 years.


Other media

In 2007, Harris worked with Mike Nelson on an audio commentary for
RiffTrax RiffTrax is an American company that produces scripted humorous commentary tracks which are synced to mostly public domain feature films, education shorts, and television episodes. With the talents of former ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (''M ...
. The two "riffed" on the film ''
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' is a 1971 American musical fantasy film directed by Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. It is an adaptation of the 1964 novel ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' by Roald Dahl. The film ...
''. Harris is a big fan of the cult TV series Nelson worked on, ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...
''. Harris was interviewed for a 1992
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programming ...
special ''This Is MST3K'' hosted by
Penn Jillette Penn Fraser Jillette (born March 5, 1955) is an American magician, actor, musician, inventor, television presenter, and author, best known for his work with fellow magician Teller as half of the team Penn & Teller. The duo has been featured ...
about the series and its fans. In 2008, Harris played the title role in
Joss Whedon Joseph Hill Whedon (; born June 23, 1964) is an American filmmaker, composer, and comic book writer. He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions, co-founder of Bellwether Pictures, and is best known as the creator of several television serie ...
's musical web series '' Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog'' alongside
Nathan Fillion Nathan Fillion (; born March 27, 1971) is a Canadian-American actor. He played the leading roles of Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds on '' Firefly'' and its film continuation '' Serenity'', and Richard Castle on '' Castle''. , he was starring as J ...
and
Felicia Day Kathryn Felicia Day (born June 28, 1979) is an American actress, writer, and web series creator. She is the creator and star of the web series '' The Guild'' (2007–2013), a show loosely based on her life as a gamer. She also wrote and starred ...
. The first episode of the series debuted on July 15, 2008. He has also provided his voice for the
Disney California Adventure Park Disney California Adventure Park, commonly referred to as California Adventure or by its acronym DCA, is a theme park located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Park ...
attraction California Screamin'. On December 11, 2010, Harris hosted the
Spike Video Game Awards The Spike Video Game Awards (in short VGAs, known as the VGX for the final show) was an annual award show hosted by American television network Spike from 2003 to 2013 that recognized the best computer and video games of the year. Produced by ...
. In October 2014, Harris released a
memoir A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based in the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobi ...
titled ''Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography'', which is structured like a
Choose Your Own Adventure ''Choose Your Own Adventure'' is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actio ...
book. His
autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life. It is a form of biography. Definition The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...
spent two weeks on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller List. His debut
young adult A young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages of human development significantly influencing the definition of ...
novel, ''The Magic Misfits'', was released in November 2017 and is the first in a four-book series of the same name. In October 2020, Harris released a single-player board game named ''Box One'', produced by luxury playing card company Theory11. It is currently available exclusively through
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, f ...
. Harris has been a frequent guest narrator at
Disney's Candlelight Processional Disney's Candlelight Processional is an annual event held at Disneyland in California and Epcot at Walt Disney World in Florida. The processional is currently performed for two nights only at Disneyland, and throughout the month of December at E ...
at
Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
.


Personal life

From 1997 to 1998, Harris dated actress
Christine Taylor Christine Joan Taylor Stiller (born July 30, 1971) is an American actress. She is known for playing Marcia Brady in ''The Brady Bunch Movie'' and ''A Very Brady Sequel'', as well as roles in films like '' The Craft'', '' The Wedding Singer'', '' ...
. In a 2008 appearance on
The Howard Stern Show ''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The show has aired on Howard 100 a ...
, he discussed how the relationship made him realize his true sexuality: "She's the coolest, nicest chick ever. She's an absolute catch, and I thought, 'If I'm not going to feel the super sparks with her... it probably means I'm gay.'" Harris publicly
came out Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity. Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...
as gay in November 2006, saying, "I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love." Harris attended the Emmy Awards in September 2007 with his fiancé David Burtka, later confirming the relationship. In an interview on ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was prod ...
'', Harris said his relationship with Burtka began in 2004. On August 14, 2010, Harris announced that he and Burtka were expecting twins via a
surrogate mother Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to delivery/labour for another person or people, who will become the child's parent(s) after birth. People may seek a surrogacy arrangement when pregnan ...
. Their son and daughter were born on October 12, 2010. Following the passage of the Marriage Equality Act in New York on June 24, 2011, Harris and Burtka announced their engagement via
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, stating that they had proposed to each other five years earlier but kept the engagement secret until same-sex marriage became legal. On September 8, 2014, Harris announced on his Twitter page that Burtka and he were married over the weekend in Italy.
Pamela Fryman Pamela Gail Fryman (born 1959) is an American sitcom director and producer. She directed all but twelve episodes of the television series ''How I Met Your Mother''. Early life Fryman was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Career ...
, the long-time director of ''How I Met Your Mother'', officiated the wedding while
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
performed at the reception. In 2013, the couple bought a townhouse in
Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...
which they sold in 2022 for $6.9M. Harris is a fan of magic, like his character on ''How I Met Your Mother''. His character in '' American Horror Story: Freak Show'' was also a magician. Harris's '' Glee'' character performed magic as well. Harris won the Tannen's Magic Louis Award in 2006 and hosted the 2008 World Magic Awards on October 11, 2008. He previously served as the President of the Board of Directors of Hollywood's
Magic Castle The Magic Castle is a clubhouse for magicians and magic enthusiasts, as well as the clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts. It is in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California and it bills itself as "the most unusual private club in t ...
, from 2011 to 2014. Additionally, Harris and partner David Burtka were guests of honor for a ''
Top Chef Masters ''Top Chef Masters'' is an American reality competition series that aired on the cable television network Bravo, and premiered June 10, 2009. It is a spinoff of Bravo's hit show ''Top Chef ''Top Chef'' is an American reality competition te ...
'' episode that took place at the Magic Castle.


Philanthropy

Alongside his acting career, Harris has supported and contributed to various charities, organization, and foundations. These include: *
AIDS Healthcare Foundation AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing medicine and health care to individuals living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. As of 2020, it operates about 400 clinics, 64 outpatient healthcare ce ...
* Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation *
American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...
organization *
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is an American nonprofit organization that raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States, headquartered in New York City. It is the theatre community's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. ...
organization *
Children International Children International is a global nonprofit humanitarian organization that helps children break the cycle of poverty. It addresses children’s critical needs through early intervention and regular interaction in community centers. The goal is ...
organization * Clothes Off Our Back Foundation *
Elton John AIDS Foundation The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) is a nonprofit organization, established by rock musician Sir Elton John in 1992 in the United States and 1993 in the United Kingdom to support innovative HIV prevention, education programs, direct care a ...
*
Entertainment Industry Foundation The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), based in Los Angeles, United States, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization of the entertainment industry. EIF funds more than 300 charitable organizations annually, both in the Los Angeles ...
*
Feeding America Feeding America is a United States–based nonprofit organization that is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based agencies. ...
organization * First Book organization * Food on Foot charity *
Global Green Global Green is the American affiliate of Green Cross International, an international non-governmental organization founded by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993 to "foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future. ...
organization * Hope North organization *
International Myeloma Foundation The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is an American non-profit organization serving patients with myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow. The IMF also provides support and information for family members, caregivers of myeloma ...
* LeBron James Family Foundation * Live Out Loud organization * Los Angeles Mission organization * Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation * Noreen Fraser Foundation *
Project Angel Food Project Angel Food is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Los Angeles County which provides free meals for people too sick to shop and cook for themselves. Project Angel Food serves the majority of Los Angeles County with South Los Angeles and M ...
organization * Real Medicine Foundation *
Stand Up To Cancer Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) is a charitable program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). SU2C aims to raise significant funds for translational cancer research through online and televised efforts. Central to the program is a telethon tha ...
organization * Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization *
The Trevor Project The Trevor Project is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1998. Focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, they offer a toll-free telephone number wher ...
organization. In October 2014, Harris attended a dinner for the
Elton John AIDS Foundation The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) is a nonprofit organization, established by rock musician Sir Elton John in 1992 in the United States and 1993 in the United Kingdom to support innovative HIV prevention, education programs, direct care a ...
and in September 2016, he and his husband were the honorary hosts of a culinary cookout to help raise money for the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. In April 2019, Harris hosted
WE Day We Day (stylized as WE Day) was an annual series of stadium-sized youth empowerment events organized by We Charity (formerly known as Free The Children), a Canadian charity founded by brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger. WE Day events host tens ...
California, a charity event that celebrates students who have made a change in their community.


Discography


Cast recordings


Singles


Filmography


Film


Television


Theater


Web


Video games


Bibliography


Audiobooks

* 2014: ''Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography'' (read by the author),
Random House Audio Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...
,


Awards and nominations


See also

*
LGBT culture in New York City New York City is home to one of the largest LGBTQ populations in the world and the most prominent. Brian Silverman, the author of ''Frommer's New York City from $90 a Day,'' wrote the city has "one of the world's largest, loudest, and most power ...
* List of LGBT people from New York City


References


External links

* *
Neil Patrick Harris
at
Internet Off-Broadway Database The Internet Off-Broadway Database (IOBDB), also formerly known as the Lortel Archives, is an online database that catalogues theatre productions shown off-Broadway. The IOBDB was funded and developed by the non-profit Lucille Lortel Foundatio ...
* * * * 2011 interview with ''
The Sondheim Review ''The Sondheim Review'' was a quarterly magazine published in Chicago, United States, by Ray Birks starting in 1994. Per its tagline, it was "Dedicated to the work of the Musical Theatre's foremost composer and lyricist," Stephen Sondheim. It was ...
'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Neil Patrick 1973 births Living people 20th-century American comedians 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century American comedians 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American screenwriters 21st-century American singers 21st-century LGBT people American agnostics American autobiographers American comedy musicians American gay actors American gay musicians American gay writers American magicians American male child actors American male comedians American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male non-fiction writers American male screenwriters American male stage actors American male television actors American male television writers American male video game actors American male voice actors American male web series actors American philanthropists American television directors American television hosts American television writers American theatre directors American tenors Comedians from New Mexico Comedians from New York City Drama Desk Award winners Gay comedians Gay men La Cueva High School alumni LGBT magicians LGBT memoirists LGBT people from New Mexico LGBT people from New York (state) LGBT producers LGBT singers from the United States LGBT theatre directors Male actors from Albuquerque, New Mexico Male actors from New Mexico Male actors from New York City People from Albuquerque, New Mexico People from Ruidoso, New Mexico Primetime Emmy Award winners Screenwriters from New Mexico Screenwriters from New York (state) Shorty Award winners Singers from New Mexico Singers from New York City Streamy Award winners Television producers from New York City Tony Award winners Writers from Albuquerque, New Mexico