
Neil Patrick Harris
Biography
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, five Primetime Emmy Awards, and nominations for a Grammy Award and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
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 on the CBS series How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014, for which he was nominated for four Emmy Awards), and Count Olaf on the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017–2019).
Harris is also known for his role as 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), Beastly (2011), The Smurfs (2011), The Smurfs 2 (2013), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), and Gone Girl (2014).
In 2010, Harris won two awards at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, 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 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 in 2009 and 2013, and hosted the 87th Academy Awards in 2015, thus making him the first openly gay man to host the Academy Awards. 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 magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2010. He is married to David Burtka. In 2010, they had twins via surrogacy.
Gallery






Known For
Acting History
2025
What's in the Box? as Self - Host
2025Dexter: Resurrection as Lowell / The Tattoo Collector
2024Doctor Who at the Proms as The Toymaker (archive footage)
2024Group Therapy as Self
2024Dolly Parton's Pet Gala
2023Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials as The Toymaker (archive footage)
2023Billion Dollar Babies: The True Story of the Cabbage Patch Kids as Narrator (voice)
2023Drag Me to Dinner as Self - Judge
2022Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium as Self
2022Uncoupled as Michael Lawson
2022The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent as Richard Fink
2022How I Met Your Father as Barney Stinson
2021The Matrix Resurrections as The Analyst
20218-Bit Christmas as Adult Jake Doyle / Narrator
2021Coded: The Hidden Love of J.C. Leyendecker as J.C. Leyendecker (voice)
2021It's a Sin as Henry Coltrane
2020Get Organized with The Home Edit
2020Home Movie: The Princess Bride as Westley
2020Fraggle Rock: Rock On! as Self
2020Visible: Out on Television as Self - Narrator (voice)
2019Epcot International Festival of the Holidays – Candlelight Processional as Narrator
2019Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Adventure Awaits as Self - Host
2019The Kelly Clarkson Show as Self
2019Dads as Self
2019Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate as Self
2019Wig as Self
2019Today with Hoda & Jenna as Self
2018Mickey’s 90th Spectacular as Self
2018Elton John: I'm Still Standing - A Grammy Salute as Self
2018Genius Junior as Host
2017Downsizing as Jeff Lonowski
2017At Home with Amy Sedaris as Neil Patrick Harris
2017Carpool Karaoke: The Series as Self
2017The Words That Built America as Self - Reader: Declaration of Independence
2017Mystery Science Theater 3000 as Neville LaRoy
2017A Series of Unfortunate Events as Count Olaf
2016Neil Patrick Harris: Circus Awesomeus as Host / Himself
2015In Their Own Words: Jim Henson as Self - Actor
2015Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris as Himself
2015In Their Own Words as Self
2015Celebrity Family Feud as Self
2015Hot Ones as Self
2014Gone Girl as Desi Collings
2014A Million Ways to Die in the West as Foy
2014Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
2014Off Camera with Sam Jones as Self
2014Steve's First Bath as Steve (voice)
2014Attack of the 50-foot Gummi Bear as Steve the Monkey (voice)
2013Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade as Host
2013Stephen Fry: Out There as Self
2013Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 as Steve (voice)
2013Beat Bobby Flay as Self
2013The Smurfs 2 as Patrick Winslow
2013The Out List as Himself
2013Cabaret: The Musical That Changed Musicals as Narrator
2012Neil's Puppet Dreams as Neil Patrick Harris
2012A Snow White Christmas: Opening Night as The Magic Mirror
2012Robot Chicken: DC Comics Special as Two-Face / Black Manta (voice)
2012American Reunion as Celebrity Dance-Off Host
2012Finding Your Roots as Self
2012The Penguins of Madagascar: Operation Blowhole as Dr. Blowhole (voice)
2011Billy on the Street as Self
2011The Muppets as Neil Patrick Harris
2011A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas as Neil Patrick Harris
2011Brain Games as Himself - Host
2011American Horror Story as Chester Creb
2011The Smurfs as Patrick Winslow
2011Hamish and Andy's Gap Year as Self
2011Company as Robert
2011Beastly as Will Fratalli
2010Take Two with Phineas and Ferb
2010Conan as Self
2010The Best and the Brightest as Jeff
2010Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore as Lou (voice)
2010Batman: Under the Red Hood as Nightwing (voice)
2010Through a Dog's Eyes as Narrator
2010Adventure Time as Prince Gumball
2010Dracula's Daughter vs. the Space Brains as Dan
2010A First Look at Batman: Under the Red Hood as Self
2010Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days as The Shoe Fairy (uncredited) (archive footage)
2009Yes, Virginia as Dr. Philip O'Hanlon (voice)
2009Beyond All Boundaries as 1st Lt. David Hettema / Sgt. William Manchester
2009Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs as Steve (voice)
2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
2009Top Chef Masters as Himself - Guest Judge
2009Glee as Bryan Ryan
2009Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as Self
2009RuPaul's Drag Race as Self - Guest Judge
2008Prop 8: The Musical as A Very Smart Fellow
2008The Penguins of Madagascar as Dr. Blowhole (voice)
2008Batman: The Brave and the Bold as Music Meister (voice)
2008Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog as Dr. Horrible
2008Commentary! The Musical
2008Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog as Doctor Horrible
2008Million Dollar Password
2008Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay as Neil Patrick Harris
2008Justice League: The New Frontier as Barry Allen / The Flash (voice)
2007The Making of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog as Self
2007Eloise Goes to School
2007The Graham Norton Show as Self
2006Me, Eloise as (voice)
2006Me, Eloise as Philip (voice)
2006The Megan Mullally Show as Self - Guest
2006Rachael Ray
2005The Christmas Blessing as Nathan Andrews
2005The Reichen Show as Self - Guest
2005The Colbert Report
2005Serenity as Screaming Reaver (uncredited)
2005How I Met Your Mother as Barney Stinson
2005Disney Heroes Volume 1 as Moyo (voice)
2005The Golden Blaze as The Comic Shop Owner (voice)
2005Robot Chicken as Executive / Harvey Dent / Two-Face / Three-Face / Four-Face (voice)
2005Numb3rs as Ethan Burdick
2005The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as Self
2004The Tony Danza Show as Self - Guest
2004Jack & Bobby
2004Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle as Neil Patrick Harris
2003Spike TV VGA Video Game Awards
2003The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
2003Spider-Man: The New Animated Series as Peter Parker / Spider-Man (voice)
2003Punk'd as Self
2003Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
2002Boomtown as Peter Corman
2002Undercover Brother as Lance
2002Death from Above: The Making of 'Starship Troopers' as Himself
2002The Making of Sweeney Todd at the San Francisco Symphony as Self
2002The Mesmerist as Benjamin
2001Justice League as Ray Thompson (voice)
2001Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert as Tobias
2001The Wedding Dress as Travis Cleveland
2001Law & Order: Criminal Intent as John Tagman
2001The Legend of Tarzan as Moyo (voice)
2001Summer of Camp Caprice as Jed (voice)
2000Ed as Joe Baxter
2000Static Shock as Replay / Johnny Morrow (voice)
2000Big Brother as Self - Celebrity Guest
2000Son of the Beach
2000The Next Best Thing as David
1999The Early Show as Self
1999Stark Raving Mad as Henry McNeeley
1999Joan of Arc as The Dauphin
1999Family Guy as Barney Stinson (voice)
1998The Christmas Wish as Will Martin
1998Will & Grace as Bill
1998The Proposition as Roger Martin
1997Starship Troopers as Colonel Carl Jenkins
1997The View as Self - Guest
1997The View as Self
1996The Daily Show as Self
1995Legacy of Sin: The William Coit Story as William Coit
1995The Man in the Attic as Edward Broder
1995My Antonia as Jimmy Burden
1995The Outer Limits as Howie Morrison
1995Not Our Son as Paul Keller
1995Animal Room as Arnold Mosk
1994Touched by an Angel as Jonas
1994Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story as Jim Stolpa
1993Sudden Fury as Brian Hannigan
1993Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
1993For Our Children as Self
1993Homicide: Life on the Street
1992This Is MST3K as Self
1992Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS and You as Self
1992Capitol Critters as Max (voice)
1991Hot Country Nights
1991Stranger in the Family as Steve Thompson
1991The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic as Self
1990Captain Planet and the Planeteers as Todd Andrews
1990Blossom
1990The Earth Day Special as Doogie Howser M.D.
1989The Simpsons as Neil Patrick Harris (voice)
1989Cold Sassy Tree as Will Tweedy
1989Doogie Howser, M.D. as Doogie Howser
1989Quantum Leap as Mike Hammond
1989B.L. Stryker as Buder
1989Home Fires Burning as Lonnie Tibbettes
1988Purple People Eater as Billy Johnson
1988Too Good to Be True as Danny Harland
1988Clara's Heart as David Hart
1988LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest
1985Larry King Live as Self
1984Murder, She Wrote as Tommy Remsen
1984Jeopardy! as Self
1981Entertainment Tonight as Self
1981Entertainment Tonight
1975Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
1969Sesame Street
1956Tony Awards as Self - Host
1953The Oscars as Host
1951Hallmark Hall of Fame as Lonnie
—Sunny Dancer









