Neil Patrick Harris

He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on Glee (2010). Harris is also known for portraying the title character in Joss Whedon'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 (1997), The Smurfs (2011), The Smurfs 2 (2013), and Gone Girl (2014). On stage, he starred as Mark Cohen in the national tour of Rent (1997), before making his Broadway debut in the David Auburn play Proof (2002). He went on to win the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical playing the title role in the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2014). Harris has hosted numerous award shows, including the Tony Awards in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013, the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009 and 2013, and the Academy Awards in 2015. He was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2010.

Neil Patrick Harris studied at La Cueva High School. The recorded working language is English. Residence is recorded at East Hampton. Works named in the authority record are 8-Bit Christmas, Glee, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and How I Met Your Mother. Distinctions recorded are Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series and star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.

• Born — 15 June 1973 • Birthplace — Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. • Occupation — * Actor • singer • writer • producer • television host • Years Active — 1988–present • Children — 2 • Awards — Full list

Neil Patrick Harris was born on June 15, 1973, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico, with his older brother and their parents, Sheila Gail (née Scott) and Ronald Gene Harris. Both parents were lawyers and also ran a restaurant. He attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, graduating with high honors in 1991, which he attributes to being privately tutored half the school year while on a set.

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 drama film Clara's Heart (1988). Clara's Heart earned Harris a Golden Globe nomination in 1989. That same year, Harris starred in Purple People Eater, a children's fantasy. Beginning in 1989, Harris played the title role of a child prodigy doctor in Doogie Howser, M.D., for which he was nominated for another Golden Globe award. After the show's four-season run ended in 1993, Harris played a number of guest roles on television series, including Murder, She Wrote. From 1999 to 2000, he starred in the NBC sitcom Stark Raving Mad, which lasted 22 episodes. Harris's first film role as an adult was Animal Room (1995), although he portrayed a teenager. Harris played lead roles in numerous made-for-television features, including Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story (1994), My Ántonia (1995), The Christmas Wish (1998), Joan of Arc (1999), The Wedding Dress (2001), and The Christmas Blessing (2005). His film work also has included supporting roles in The Next Best Thing (2000), Undercover Brother (2002), and Starship Troopers (1997). Harris portrayed Mark Cohen in the 1997 touring company of the rock musical, Rent, a role he later satirized in the January 10, 2009, episode of Saturday Night Live which he hosted, and sang the role of Charles (initially played by Anthony Perkins in a 1966 ABC telecast) on the Nonesuch recording of Sondheim's Evening Primrose in 2001. Harris has also worked on Broadway in both musical and dramatic roles. He played Tobias Ragg in the 2001 concert performances of Sweeney Todd, and the following year, he performed in Proof. In 2003, he took the role of the Emcee in Cabaret. 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.

In 2004, he performed the dual roles of the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald on Broadway in the revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical Assassins. In 2004, Harris played a fictionalized, hyper-womanizing, lewd version of himself in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, a stoner comedy film in the Harold & Kumar series. He would go on to reprise the role in the sequels Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011). In 2005, Harris portrayed Jon in the London premiere of Tick, Tick... Boom! at the Menier Chocolate Factory. He was replaced by Christian Campbell in July of that same year. • Illustration — Cobie Smulders and Harris at San Diego Comic-Con for How I Met Your Mother in 2013 From 2005 to 2014, Harris played Barney Stinson, a serial womanizer, in the CBS ensemble sitcom How I Met Your Mother. The role earned him Emmy nominations every year from 2007 to 2010. In 2007, he worked with Mike Nelson on a comedic audio commentary set to the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory for RiffTrax. In 2008, Harris played the title role in Joss Whedon's musical web series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. That same year, he guest-starred on Sesame Street as the Sesame Street Fairy Shoe Person. In 2009, he hosted the 7th Annual TV Land Awards and appeared as a guest judge on season 9 of American Idol. Harris provided the voice of Steve the Monkey in the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs film franchise (2009–2013). After a preview at 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. He has also provided his voice for the Disney California Adventure Park attraction California Screamin'. • Illustration — Harris at The Smurfs 2 premiere in 2013 Harris hosted the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20, 2009. On August 21, 2010, he won two Emmy Awards 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 on September 22, 2013, marking his second time hosting the event. Harris has hosted the Tony Awards four times: the 63rd Tony Awards on June 7, 2009, the 65th Tony Awards on June 12, 2011, the 66th Tony Awards on June 10, 2012, and the 67th Tony Awards on June 9, 2013. Only Dame Angela Lansbury, with five ceremonies, has hosted the Tony Awards more times. Hosting the Tony Awards has earned him four Primetime Emmy Awards in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 for the 63rd, 65th, 66th and 67th, respectively. Harris appeared in the 2010 Time 100 list of influential people. That year, Harris directed a Hollywood Bowl production of Rent; he cast his Beastly co-star Vanessa Hudgens as Mimi Márquez. Also in 2010, Harris provided voice acting for the role of the adult Dick Grayson (Nightwing) in the animated film Batman: Under the Red Hood and the beagle Lou in the film Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. On March 7, 2010, he delivered a musical number appearance at the 82nd Academy Awards. He played the lead in the indie comedy The Best and the Brightest. In December 2010, Harris hosted the Spike Video Game Awards. In 2011, Harris played the lead role of Bobby in Stephen Sondheim's Company with the New York Philharmonic in concert. That same year, he directed The Expert at the Card Table at Broad Stage's Edye in Santa Monica, California. He also starred in the 2011 film The Smurfs and its 2013 sequel The Smurfs 2. On Sept. 15, 2011, Harris received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. • Illustration — Harris's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Harris portrayed the titular role in the first Broadway production of the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch from March through August 2014. He received acclaim for the role, with Variety declaring, "It's astonishing how polished a physical performance Harris gives. Channeling his inner Rockette, along with Iggy Pop and Lou Reed by way of the Ramones, he carries off some advanced dance and acrobatic moves". The role earned Harris the 2014 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He exited the role on August 17, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. Later in 2014, Harris portrayed Desi Collings in Gone Girl, a film directed by David Fincher. In 2014, Harris reportedly 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 later claimed he was never actually offered either job. In October 2014, Harris released a memoir titled Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography, which is structured like a Choose Your Own Adventure book. His autobiography spent two weeks on The New York Times Best Seller List.

• Illustration — Harris at the National Book Festival in 2019 On February 22, 2015, he hosted the 87th Academy Awards. On September 15, 2015, Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris, a variety series hosted and executive produced by Harris, premiered live on NBC and ran for eight episodes. He declined to appear in the fifth season of American Horror Story after appearing in the fourth in a guest role due to scheduling conflicts with Best Time Ever. On January 15, 2016, Harris was cast as Count Olaf in the television adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events. It ran for 3 seasons and 25 episodes on the streaming service Netflix before ending on January 1, 2019. On March 31, 2017, NBC picked up the game show Genius Junior with Harris as host and executive producer. The format would test teams of children, aged 12 and under, in various subjects including spelling, mathematics, and memory. The series received a 10-episode order and debuted on March 18, 2018. His debut young adult novel, The Magic Misfits, was released in November 2017 and is the first in a four-book series. In October 2020, Harris released a single-player board game named Box One, produced by Theory11. As of February 2021, it is available exclusively through Target. Harris has been a frequent guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World. In January 2021, Harris starred in the British drama series It's a Sin, broadcast on Channel 4 and HBO Max, depicting the 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United Kingdom. In June 2021, he was announced to be a judge on Australia's Got Talent: Challengers & Champions, a spin-off series of Australia's Got Talent. Harris appeared in The Matrix Resurrections, the fourth installment of the Matrix franchise, released in December 2021. In 2022, he joined the Encores! presentation of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods as The Baker; the limited production ran at the New York City Center from May 4 to 15. Harris also starred in the 2022 Netflix series Uncoupled as gay Manhattanite Michael Lawson, a realtor re-navigating the dating scene after 17 years. He also portrayed Francis Beaumont in Peter Pan Goes Wrong for a limited engagement from April 11 to May 7, 2023. In December 2023, Harris guest starred as the Toymaker in the third and final special, "The Giggle", of the 60th anniversary specials of Doctor Who. On August 15, 2026, Harris hosted Horizons: A Carousel of Progress at Disney's D23 annual convention.

• Illustration — Harris with husband David Burtka at the 38th People's Choice Awards in 2012 From 1997 to 1998, Harris dated actress Christine Taylor. In a 2008 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, 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 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." In 2019, he led the Tel Aviv Pride parade. Harris has been in a relationship with actor and chef David Burtka since April 2004. In October 2010, they became parents to twins, son Gideon and daughter Harper, born via a surrogate mother. Following the passage of the Marriage Equality Act in New York on June 24, 2011, Harris and Burtka announced their engagement via Twitter, stating that they had proposed to each other five years earlier but kept the engagement secret until same-sex marriage became legal. Harris and Burtka married in Italy in September 2014. Pamela Fryman, the long-time director of How I Met Your Mother, officiated the wedding while Elton John performed at the reception. In 2013, the couple bought a townhouse in Harlem, which they sold in 2022 for $6.99 million. Harris is a fan of magic, including card magic. His characters in How I Met Your Mother, American Horror Story: Freak Show, and Glee also use magic. 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, from 2011 to 2014. Additionally, Harris and Burtka were guests of honor for "Magic Chefs", a season 1 episode of Top Chef Masters, that took place at the Magic Castle. He also collaborated with the French-Swedish sportswear brand Ron Dorff on a fashion collection launched in September 2022. Fifteen percent of all proceeds were donated to World Central Kitchen. In May 2022, it resurfaced on Twitter that Harris had hosted a Halloween party in October 2011 in which he served guests a meat platter designed to resemble the corpse of Amy Winehouse. He apologized later that month.

Harris has supported and contributed to various charities, organizations, and foundations. These include: • AIDS Healthcare Foundation • Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation • American Cancer Society • Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS • Children International • Clothes Off Our Back Foundation • Elton John AIDS Foundation • Entertainment Industry Foundation • Feeding America • First Book • Food on Foot • Global Green • Hope North • International Myeloma Foundation • LeBron James Family Foundation • Live Out Loud • Los Angeles Mission • Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation • Noreen Fraser Foundation • Project Angel Food • Real Medicine Foundation • Stand Up To Cancer • Susan G. Komen for the Cure • The Trevor Project In October 2014, Harris attended a dinner for the Elton John AIDS Foundation 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 California, a charity event that celebrates students who have made a change in their community.

• Year — Single — Peak chart positions — Sales — Album • AUS — CAN — IRE — UK — US • 2010 — "Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit" — 113 — 76 — — — 50 — — — — — How I Met Your Mother season 5 • "Dream On" (featuring Matthew Morrison) — 91 — 24 — 44 — 47 — 26 — 84,000 (US) — Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1988 — Too Good to Be True — Danny Harland — Television film • 1989 — Home Fires Burning — Lonnie Tibbits • B.L. Stryker — Buder Campbell — Episode: "Blues for Buder" • Cold Sassy Tree — Will Tweedy / Narrator — Television film • Doogie Howser, M.D. — Dr. Douglas "Doogie" Howser — 97 episodes • 1990 — The Earth Day Special — Dr. Doogie Howser — Television film • 1991 — Carol & Company — Dr. Hoogie Dowser — Episode: "Suture Self" • The — Himself as Bart Simpson — Voice, episode: "Bart the Murderer" • Stranger in the Family — Steve Thompson — Television film • Blossom — Derek Slade — Episode: "Blossom – A Rockumentary" • 1992 — Capitol Critters — Max — Voice, 13 episodes • Roseanne — Dr. Doogie Howser — Episode: "Less Is More" • Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? — Himself — 2 episodes • Captain Planet and the Planeteers — Todd Andrews — Voice, episode: "A Formula for Hate" • 1993 — Quantum Leap — Mike Hammond — Episode: "Return of the Evil Leaper – October 8, 1956" • Murder, She Wrote — Tommy Remsen — Episode: "Lone Witness" • A — Brian Hannigan — Television film • 1994 — Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story — Jim Stolpa • 1995 — Not Our Son — Paul Kenneth Keller • My Antonia — Jimmy Burden • Legacy of Sin: The William Coit Story — William Coit • The Man in the Attic — Edward Broder • 1996 — The — Howie Morrison — Episode: "From Within" • 1997 — Homicide: Life on the Street — Alan Schack — Episode: "Valentine's Day" • The RuPaul Show — Himself — Episode: "Neil Patrick Harris" • 1998 — The Christmas Wish — Will Martin — Television film • 1999 — Joan of Arc — Charles VII — 2 episodes • Stark Raving Mad — Henry McNeeley — 22 episodes • 2000 — Will & Grace — Bill — Episode: "Girls, Interrupted" • 2001 — Static Shock — Johnny Morrow / Replay — Voice, episode: "Replay" • Son of the Beach — Loverboy — Episode: "Queefer Madness" • As Told by Ginger — Ned — Voice, episode: "Season of Caprice" • The — Moyo — Voice, 2 episodes • The Wedding Dress — Travis Cleveland — Television film • Ed — Joe Baxter — Episode: "Replacements" • 2002 — Touched by an Angel — Jonas — Episode: "The Princeless Bride" • Justice League — Ray Thompson — Voice, 2 episodes • 2003 — Boomtown — Peter Corman — Episode: "Monster's Brawl" • Spider-Man: The New Animated Series — Peter Parker / Spider-Man — Voice, 13 episodes • 2004 — Law & Order: Criminal Intent — John Tagman — Episode: "Want" • 2005 — Numb3rs — Ethan Burdick — Episode: "Prime Suspect" • Jack & Bobby — Prof. Preston Phelps — Episode: "Querida Grace" • The — Nathan Andrews — Television film • 2005–2008 — Mad TV — Himself — 3 episodes • How I Met Your Mother — Barney Stinson — 208 episodes; directed episode: "Jenkins" • 2006 — Me, Eloise — Philip — Voice, 2 episodes • 2007–2009 — Family Guy — Barney Stinson • 2008 — Sesame Street — The Fairy Shoeperson / Himself — 3 episodes • 2009 — Saturday Night Live — Himself (host) — Episode: "Neil Patrick Harris/Taylor Swift" • Batman: The Brave and the Bold — Music Meister — Voice, episode: "Mayhem of the Music Meister!" • 2009–2012 — Robot Chicken — Various — Voice, 4 episodes • 2009 — 7th Annual TV Land Awards — Himself (host) — Television special • 63rd Tony Awards — Himself (host) • 61st Primetime Emmy Awards — Himself (host) • Yes, Virginia — Dr. Philip O'Hanlon — Voice, television special • 2010 — Through a Dog's Eyes — Narrator • Glee — Bryan Ryan — Episode: "Dream On" • The — Dr. Blowhole — Voice, 3 episodes • 2010 — 2010 Spike Video Game Awards — Himself (host) — Television special • Adventure Time — Prince Gumball — Voice, 2 episodes • 2011 — Brain Games — Narrator — 3 episodes • 65th Tony Awards — Himself (host) — Television special • 2012 — 66th Tony Awards — Himself (host) • 2013 — 67th Tony Awards — Himself (host) • The Goodwin Games — Director, episode: "The Box" • 65th Primetime Emmy Awards — Himself (host) — Television special • 2014 — RuPaul's Drag Race — Himself (guest judge) — Episode: "Drag My Wedding" • 2015 — American Horror Story: Freak Show — Chester Creb — 2 episodes • 87th Academy Awards — Himself (host) — Television special • Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris — Himself (host) — 8 episodes; also writer and executive producer • 2017–2019 — A Series of Unfortunate Events — Count Olaf — 25 episodes; also producer (seasons 2–3) • 2017 — Mystery Science Theater 3000 — Neville LaRoy — Episode: "Avalanche" • At Home with Amy Sedaris — Himself — Episode: "Holidays" • 2018 — Lip Sync Battle — Himself — Episode: "A Michael Jackson Celebration" • Genius Junior — Himself (host) — 10 episodes; also executive producer • 2019 — Ghostwriter — The White Rabbit — Voice, 2 episodes • 2020 — Fraggle Rock: Rock On! — Himself — Episode: "Party Down in Fraggle Rock!" • Home Movie: The Princess Bride — Westley — Episode: "Life Is Pain" • 2021 — It's a Sin — Henry Coltrane — Episode: "Episode 1" • Eden — Zero — Voice, 4 episodes, English dub • Star Wars: Visions — Karre — Voice, episode: "The Twins", English dub • F Is for Family — Louis Chilson — Voice, 6 episodes • 2022 — Uncoupled — Michael Lawson — 8 episodes; also executive producer • 2023 — How I Met Your Father — Barney Stinson — 2 episodes • Drag Me to Dinner — Himself (judge) — 10 episodes; also executive producer • Doctor Who — The Toymaker — Episode: "The Giggle" • 2025 — Dexter: Resurrection — Lowell Sloane / The Tattoo Collector — Episode: "Call Me Red" • What's in the Box? — Himself (host) — 6 episodes • 2026 — The Pigeon Show! Starring The Pigeon — The Bus Driver — Voice • 2026 — 79th Tony Awards — Himself — Special appearance

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Venue — Ref. • 1997 — Rent — Mark Cohen — San Diego — La Jolla Playhouse • 1997–1998 — National Tour — Various venues • 1998 — Romeo and Juliet — Romeo Montague — San Diego — Old Globe Theatre • 1999 — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street — Tobias Ragg — Concert — Ahmanson Theater • 2000 — Concert — New York Philharmonic • 2001 — Concert — San Francisco Symphony Orchestra • Ravinia Festival • 2002 — Proof — Hal Dobbs (replacement) — Broadway — Walter Kerr Theatre • 2003 — Cabaret — The Emcee (replacement) — Broadway — Studio 54 • 2004 — Assassins — The Balladeer / Lee Harvey Oswald — Broadway • 2004–2005 — The — Young Anton / Burt Sarris — Culver City — Kirk Douglas Theatre • 2005 — Tick, Tick... Boom! — Jon — Off-West End — Menier Chocolate Factory • 2006 — All My Sons — Chris Keller — Los Angeles — Geffen Playhouse • Amadeus — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Los Angeles — Hollywood Bowl • 2010 — Rent — Director only — Los Angeles — Hollywood Bowl • 2011 — Company — Robert — Concert — New York Philharmonic • A Snow White Christmas — The Magic Mirror — North Hollywood — El Portal Theater • 2012 — Assassins — The Balladeer / Lee Harvey Oswald — Reunion concert — Studio 54 • 2014 — Nothing to Hide — Director only — Off-Broadway — Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre • Hedwig and the Angry Inch — Hedwig Robinson — Broadway — Belasco Theatre • 2022 — Into the Woods — The Baker — Encores! — New York City Center • 2023 — Peter Pan Goes Wrong — Francis Beaumont / Narrator — Broadway — Ethel Barrymore Theatre • Los Angeles — Ahmanson Theatre • Gutenberg! The Musical! — The Producer (one night cameo) — Broadway — James Earl Jones Theatre • 2024 — Tick, Tick... Boom! — Director only — Concert — Kennedy Center • Shit. Meet. Fan. — Roger — Off-Broadway — MCC Theater • 2025 — Art — Serge — Broadway — Music Box Theatre • 2027 — Damn Yankees — Applegate — Broadway — Marquis Theater

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2008 — Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog — Dr. Horrible/Billy — 3 episodes • Prop 8: The Musical — A Very Smart Fellow — Short film • 2012–2013 — Neil's Puppet Dreams — Neil Patrick Harris — 7 episodes; also co-creator, writer and executive producer

• Year — Title — Role • 2008 — Saints Row 2 — Veteran Child • 2009 — Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard — Wallace "Wally" Wellesley • 2010 — Rock of the Dead — Main Character • Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions — Peter Parker / Spider-Man • 2011 — The Penguins of Madagascar: Dr. Blowhole Returns – Again! — Dr. Blowhole • 2013 — Saints Row IV — Veteran Child • 2025 — Marvel's Deadpool VR — Wade Wilson / Deadpool

• 2014: Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography (read by the author), Random House Audio,