Neil Patrick Harris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neil Patrick Harris
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Harris in 2025
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| Born | June 15, 1973 Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Full list |
Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, and television host. He is famous for his roles in television, movies, and on the Broadway stage. Throughout his long career, he has won many awards, including a Tony Award for his stage acting and five Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on television.
On TV, he is known for playing the main character in Doogie Howser, M.D. as a teenager. He later became famous for playing Barney Stinson in the popular show How I Met Your Mother. He also played the villain Count Olaf in the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Harris is also a talented stage actor. He has starred in many Broadway shows, including the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which won him a Tony Award. He is also known for hosting big award shows like the Tony Awards and the Emmy Awards. In 2010, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
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Early Life
Neil Patrick Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He grew up in the town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, with his older brother. His parents were both lawyers who also owned a restaurant.
He went to La Cueva High School in Albuquerque. Because he was already acting, he was privately tutored for part of the school year while working on set. He graduated with high honors in 1991.
Career
Getting Started as a Young Actor
Harris started his career as a child actor. He was discovered by a playwright named Mark Medoff at a drama camp. This led to his first movie role in Clara's Heart (1988), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
In 1989, at age 16, he landed the role that made him a star: a teenage doctor in the TV show Doogie Howser, M.D.. The show was a big hit and ran for four seasons. After it ended, Harris took on many different roles in TV movies and shows.
From TV to the Stage
As an adult, Harris continued to act in movies and on television. He appeared in films like Starship Troopers (1997) and Undercover Brother (2002). He also began working on Broadway, showing his talent in both plays and musicals.
In 1997, he toured the country playing Mark Cohen in the famous musical Rent. He also appeared in Broadway shows like Proof (2002) and Cabaret (2003), where his performance as the Emcee was highly praised.
A Return to Television Stardom
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From 2005 to 2014, Harris played the funny and popular character Barney Stinson on the TV show How I Met Your Mother. This role made him famous all over again and earned him four Emmy nominations.
During this time, he also played a funny version of himself in the Harold & Kumar movies. In 2008, he starred in the popular web series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. He also lent his voice to animated movies, playing Steve the Monkey in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and its sequel.
Harris became a popular host for award shows. He hosted the Tony Awards four times and the Primetime Emmy Awards twice. His hosting skills won him four Emmy Awards.
Recent Work and New Roles
In 2014, Harris returned to Broadway to star in the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. His performance was a huge success, and he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. That same year, he appeared in the mystery movie Gone Girl.
From 2017 to 2019, he played the evil Count Olaf in the Netflix show A Series of Unfortunate Events. He was also a producer for the show. In 2023, he appeared in the TV show Doctor Who as the villainous Toymaker for the show's 60th anniversary.
Harris has also written books for young adults. His first book, The Magic Misfits, was released in 2017 and is the first in a series.
Personal Life
Harris is married to actor and chef David Burtka. They have been together since 2004 and got married in Italy in September 2014. They have two children, a son named Gideon and a daughter named Harper.
Harris is a big fan of magic and is a talented magician himself. He has served as the president of the board of directors for the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. His love for magic is often included in the characters he plays.
Charity Work
Harris supports many charities and organizations. He has helped raise money for groups like the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer, and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, which helps fight childhood cancer. He has also hosted events like We Day, which celebrates students who make a positive change in their communities.
Selected Roles
Here are some of Neil Patrick Harris's most well-known roles.
Movies
- Clara's Heart (1988) as David Hart
- Starship Troopers (1997) as Carl Jenkins
- Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) as a fictional version of himself
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) as the voice of Steve the Monkey
- The Smurfs (2011) as Patrick Winslow
- The Muppets (2011) as Himself
- Gone Girl (2014) as Desi Collings
- The Matrix Resurrections (2021) as The Analyst
Television
- Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989–1993) as Dr. "Doogie" Howser
- Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003) as the voice of Spider-Man
- How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014) as Barney Stinson
- Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008) as Dr. Horrible/Billy
- Glee (2010) as Bryan Ryan
- Adventure Time (2011–2013) as the voice of Prince Gumball
- A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017–2019) as Count Olaf
- Doctor Who (2023) as The Toymaker
Theater
- Rent (1997) as Mark Cohen
- Proof (2002) as Hal
- Cabaret (2003) as The Emcee
- Assassins (2004) as The Balladeer / Lee Harvey Oswald
- Company (2011) as Robert
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2014) as Hedwig Robinson
- Into the Woods (2022) as The Baker
Images for kids
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Harris at the National Book Festival in 2019
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See also
In Spanish: Neil Patrick Harris para niños
