Neil Patrick Harris

Biography

Neil Patrick Harris, born on June 15, 1973, is a multifaceted American entertainer recognized for his work as an actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. He has garnered numerous prestigious awards throughout his career, including a Tony Award, five Primetime Emmy Awards, and nominations for a Grammy Award as well as three Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Harris gained fame for his portrayal of the titular character in the ABC series Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989–1993), which earned him a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. He is also well-remembered for his role as Barney Stinson in CBS's How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014), a performance that led to four Emmy nominations, and for his role as Count Olaf in Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017–2019).

His filmography includes notable works such as Starship Troopers (1997), Beastly (2011), and the Smurfs series (2011, 2013), alongside appearances in A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) and Gone Girl (2014). In 2010, Harris received two Emmy Awards at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, including one for his guest role on Glee and another for hosting the Tony Awards, a role he reprised multiple times. He made history as the first openly gay host of the Academy Awards in 2015. In 2014, he received a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway.

Harris was honored as one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2010. He is married to David Burtka, and together they welcomed twins via surrogacy in 2010.