Neil Patrick Harris left an indelible mark on American television with his portrayal of the legendary Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM). The versatile actor is known for his quick wit and charismatic on-screen presence. Neil Patrick Harris is one of Hollywood’s most famous child actors from the 80s, with his breakout role as 14-year-old Dr. Douglas “Doogie” Howser in the ABC medical sitcom Doogie Howser, M.D.
Although he continued expanding his career, HIMYM became Neil Patrick Harris’ next big television project after it premiered in 2005. While he has taken on fewer acting roles in recent years, after HIMYM in 2014, Harris diversified his career, delving into various entertainment mediums. Here’s a look at Neil Patrick Harris’ career since How I Met Your Mother ended.
Neil Patrick Harris’ Movie Roles Post-HIMYM
While HIMYM solidified Neil Patrick Harris’s career as a television icon, he wasted no time expanding his acting resumé on the big screen. HIMYM’s finale officially aired on March 31, 2014. Harris’ next project was released in May 2014. He starred in a supporting role as Foy in Seth MacFarlane’s Western comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West. Foy lived in Old Stump, Arizona. Although rich, he was known for being a snob. A Million Ways to Die in the West was mostly panned by critics but was a Box Office success.
Neil Patrick Harris followed up his performance by playing Rosamund Pike’s character’s wealthy ex-boyfriend in Gone Girl. The movie was a critical and commercial success, grossing $370.9 million against a $61 million budget. Harris was one of many celebrity dads featured in Bryce Dallas Howard’s 2019 documentary film Dads. He played adult Jake Doyle in the 2021 Christmas comedy 8-Bit Christmas. One of his most notable roles post-HIMYM came in 2021 when he played The Analyst in the fourth installment of The Matrix film franchise, The Matrix Resurrections. Neil Patrick Harris’ last movie appearance was in 2022, where he played Richard Fink, Nicolas Cage’s agent in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
Neil Patrick Harris Hosted the Oscars
Another major milestone in Neil Patrick Harris’ career post-HIMYM was hosting the 87th Academy Awards. The award ceremony was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on February 22, 2015. Although it was Harris’ first time hosting the Oscars, he was no stranger to hosting award ceremonies. Neil Patrick Harris has hosted four Tony Awards (2009, 2011–2013) and two Primetime Emmy Awards (2009, 2013).
Neil Patrick Harris’ Other Television Projects
Neil Patrick Harris guest-starred in a few other TV shows after HIMYM. However, his first major project was portraying Count Olaf on Netflix’s black comedy-drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events. The series was based on Lemony Snicket’s children’s novel of the same name. Harris embodied the villainous Count Olaf, earning critical praise for his ability to switch between humor and malice.
A Series of Unfortunate Events aired for 3 seasons on Netflix from January 13, 2017, to January 1, 2019. In 2022, Neil Patrick Harris played a New York City real estate agent, Michael Lawson, in the one-season romantic comedy Uncoupled. Although the show generally received positive reviews from critics, it was greatly affected by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, causing the renewed season 2 to be canceled.
Neil Patrick Harris Returned to Theater
Neil Patrick Harris combined screen acting with theater from the late 1990s to the mid-2010s. However, he returned to the stage in 2022. From 2022 to 2024, Harris has starred in three theater plays and directed one. He played the baker in Into the Woods (2022) and Francis Beaumont in the Broadway production of Peter Pan Goes Wrong (2023). In 2024, he played Roger in the Off-Broadway production of Shit. Meet. Fan. Neil Patrick Harris also directed Tick, Tick… BOOM! stage production at the Kennedy Center in 2024.
Published Book Series & Podcasts
Neil Patrick Harris made his publishing debut in 2014. His first published book was Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography, which he turned into an audiobook that he voiced. From 2017 to 2020, Harris published four other books under The Magic Misfits series. He published The Magic Misfits in 2017, The Magic Misfits: The Second Story (2019), The Magic Misfits: The Minor Third, and The Magic Misfits: The Fourth Suit in 2020. In 2023, Neil Patrick Harris voiced Victor in the podcast comedy series Trust Fall. He also narrated an episode of Radio Play Revival in 2024.
Neil Patrick Harris Got Married in 2014
Neil Patrick Harris finished on a high note in his career and personal life in 2014. Harris married his long-term boyfriend, actor and chef David Burtka, on September 6, 2014. Harris and Burtka dated for a decade from April 2004 before their wedding. Neil Patrick Harris became a father of twins: son Gideon Scott Burtka-Harris and daughter Harper Grace Burtka-Harris, in October 2010. The twins were born through a surrogate mother. Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary on September 6, 2024. In retrospect, a decade after its finale, Neil Patrick Harris had one of the best character arcs on How I Met Your Mother.
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