Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris: biography

Neil Patrick Harris was born in the largest city of New Mexico in summer 1973. Soon after the boy was born, the parents moved to a small provincial town Ruidoso where the future actor spent his childhood. The father was a practicing lawyer, and the mother was a quite successful writer. Besides, the parents owned a small restaurant.

The youngest son was hardly interested in that. From the early childhood, the boy demonstrated his acting talent: he sang, read poetry, made faces in front of a mirror, and impressed people around.

As an elementary school student, Neil took an interest in the children’s theater and played Toto in the performance The Wizard of Oz. The teenager spent all his time at the theater and became a local star soon. Eventually, TV agents noticed the young talent and offered him a small role in the series Sesame Street. From that moment, Neil fell in love with cinematography and decided to become an actor.

Movies

Soon, life gave the young man an unexpected present: the famous playwright Mark Medoff noticed Harris and recommended him for the role of David in Clara’s Heart with Whoopi Goldberg. This project brought the beginning actor the audience’s love and recognition and the nomination for the Golden Globe. The next role of a prodigy doctor in the series Doogie Howser, M.D. was marked with another nomination.

Neil graduated from school cum laude and threw himself into acting. He appeared in movies and series, voiced cartons, and even tried himself at Broadway.

In 1997, the actor participated in Paul Verhoeven’s fantasy action movie Starship Troopers where he played the main character’s friend. The movie was a screening disaster and did not meet the creator’s expectations; however, it was nominated for the Academy Award for its fascinating special effects.

This failure discouraged Neil a little, and he decided to pay more attention to the theater. The actor had many bright drama roles in various theater performances; he won the prestigious Tony Award three times.

In 2005, the actor got the role of the womanizer Barney Stinson in the series How I Met Your Mother which was probably the most successful part of his career and brought him the global fame. The series was as popular as the iconic Friends and awakened the interest among many Americans. Many celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, and Britney Spears were happy to appear there for the symbolic retainer.

Neil was enjoying the audience’s love and fame for nine seasons. He improved his financial status: the actor earned more than $100 000 for each episode. This project brought Harris the deserved Emmy Award, Tony Award, and a Golden Globe nomination. The artist also gained a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Neil combined the work on the series and other projects. His lead role in the fairy tale comedy The Smurfs was pretty interesting. The movie was a commercial success which inspired the creators to produce the sequel.

In a while, Harris participated in the iconic movie American Reunion where he collaborated with his “Mother” colleague Alyson Hannigan. In Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, the artist played himself.

Neil’s role in David Fincher’s Gone Girl starring Ben Affleck is worth noticing. Harris played the main character’s loyal admirer. As the actor believes, he was lucky to participate in the movie and meet the famous director; Neil was also fascinated by the movie scenario.

At the beginning of 2017, the new series A Series of Unfortunate Events based on the American writer Daniel Handler’s fairy tales was premiered. At first, the audience did not recognize the handsome actor in Count Olaf. Jim Carrey played this role in the previous screen version. The creators of the new project changed the idea and relied on Harris. It was the right decision. The unusual makeup, black humor, and Neil’s ventriloquist abilities made the image of Count Olaf gloomy enough and somehow magic; the audience was thrilled.

Neil Harris is fond of magic and tricks. His talent was useful: his character in How I Met Your Mother was a magician. Neil can ventriloquize; his voice sounds wonderful in cartoons. The actor received several prestigious awards as an illusionist.

In recent years, Neil recommended himself as a successful showman and presenter. In 2015, during the Academy Awards ceremony, the man shocked the audience: he appeared on the stage wearing only underwear. Harris was parodying the scene in the movie Birdman starring Michael Keaton. However, not all the guests appreciated the joke.

Personal life

The actor’s personal life is as exciting as his career. Neil is openly gay; he came out in 2006. However, it does not prevent him from playing womanizers and heartbreakers.

In 2006, Neil met David Burtka at a movie set; soon, he became his partner.

In 2010, a surrogate mother gave birth to the twins, Gideon and Harper. The next year, the parents announced their engagement. In 2014m the lovers married in Perugia, Italy. Elton John was one of the guests; he performed several best songs for the newlyweds.

Today, the spouses live in New York, bring up the children, and enjoy their lives. Neil Harris often posts the photos of the happy family, and American glossy magazines print Harris’s pictures on their covers.

Sometimes, Neil Patrick Harris is compared to young Sting: they bear some resemblance.

Filmography

• 1988 – Clara’s Heart
• 1999 - Joan of Arc
• 2000 - The Next Best Thing
• 2001 - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
• 2004 - Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
• 2008 - Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
• 2011 - The Smurfs
• 2013 - A Million Ways to Die in the West
• 2014 – Gone Girl
• 2016 - A Series of Unfortunate Events

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