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Neil Patrick Harris

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Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris, 2003
Born
Neil Patrick Harris
OccupationActor

Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated actor. He is best known for his roles as the teenage doctor Doogie Howser, M.D., the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, the very intelligent Col. Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, Dr. Horrible of the film of the same name, and as himself in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle and its sequel Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

Biography

Early life

Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S., and grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico. His parents, Sheila H. and Ron Harris, were lawyers. He has an older brother, and it was by following his brother to an audition in fourth grade that he first began acting – as Toto in a school production of The Wizard of Oz. He attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque and was active in school plays and musicals there. Harris was an honors student and graduated with honors in 1991. He was three years ahead of fellow La Cueva student Freddie Prinze, Jr.[1]

Career

Harris began his career as a child actor. His first significant roles came in 1988, when he starred in two movies: the film Clara's Heart, a drama with Whoopi Goldberg that won him a Golden Globe nomination, and Purple People Eater, a children's fantasy. The following year he won the lead in Doogie Howser, M.D., for which he was again nominated for a Golden Globe. After Doogie Howser's four-season run ended in 1993, Harris played a number of guest roles on television series, before taking his first film role as an adult in 1995 in the little-seen shocker Animal Room. Since then his film work has included supporting roles in The Next Best Thing, Undercover Brother, Starship Troopers and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, in which he played a drug-crazed, lecherous parody of himself.

From 1999 to 2000, Harris starred with Tony Shalhoub in the sitcom Stark Raving Mad, which lasted twenty-two episodes. He has taken lead roles in a number of made-for-television features, including Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story in 1994, My Ántonia in 1995, A Christmas Wish in 1998, Joan of Arc in 1999, The Wedding Dress in 2001, and The Christmas Blessing in 2005, as well as series guest roles.

Harris has worked on Broadway in both musical and dramatic roles. He played Tobias Ragg in 2001 concert performances of Sweeney Todd. In 2002, he performed on Broadway beside Anne Heche in Proof. In 2003, he took the role of the Emcee in Cabaret, alongside Deborah Gibson and Tom Bosley. As a result of his critically acclaimed performance in Cabaret, Harris was named the top drawing headliner in the role of the Emcee by GuestStarCasting.com, topping fellow celeb stars John Stamos and Alan Cumming.[2]

In 2004, he performed a dual role of the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald on Broadway in the controversial musical revival of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins. He also sang the role of Charles (first played by Anthony Perkins) on the Nonesuch recording of Sondheim's Evening Primrose. He has also portrayed Mark Cohen in the musical RENT. Harris' current role is in the CBS ensemble sitcom How I Met Your Mother, playing a serial womanizer in a performance that earned him a 2007 and a 2008 Emmy nomination. The show debuted in the fall of 2005 and wrapped up its third season on May 19, 2008.

In 2007, Harris worked with Mike Nelson on an audio commentary for RiffTrax. The two riffed on the film, Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. Harris is a big fan of the cult TV series Nelson worked on, Mystery Science Theater 3000, and was interviewed for a 1992 Comedy Central special hosted by Penn Jillette, who did voiceovers for Comedy Central's programming at that time, about the series and its fans, This Is MST3K.[3] In 2008, Harris starred alongside Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day in Joss Whedon's musical web series, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. The first episode of the series debuted July 14, 2008.[4] Neil has also appeared on Sesame Street as the Sesame Street Shoe Fairy.[5]

Personal life

On November 2 2006, after a report about Harris' romantic relationship with actor David Burtka surfaced on www.Canada.com,[6] Harris' publicist issued a denial, stating that the actor "is not of that persuasion." However, a day later Harris, who had long been openly gay in his personal life and in the theater community, came out to the media in People. His statement read:[7]

The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships. So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love.

The two attended the Emmy awards in September 2007 as an openly acknowledged couple for the first time, an appearance which Harris discussed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show[8] and which was reported in various media outlets.[9] Neil and David have been together since 2004. Harris refers to Burtka as "My better half" and an "amazing chef." [10]

On April 5, 2008, Harris played 'Not My Job' on the NPR news quiz show Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me!. He lost the game by answering only one of three questions correctly about famous British April Fool's Day pranks.[11]

Harris is a fan of magic and is on the Board of Directors of Hollywood's Magic Castle.[12]


Self-parody

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Harris portrayed himself in the film Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. The role was a parody of himself featuring him as a mysterious wanderer who spends his time using Ecstasy and picking up women. He is first seen hitchhiking in New Jersey where Harold and Kumar offer him a ride. The two inform him of their quest to satisfy their munchies for White Castle Hamburgers, but Harris tries to convince them to spend their time at a strip club. When they refuse to accept his advice, Harris steals their car and is later seen partying in it with two strippers. In the end of the film, he returns the car to Harold and Kumar at White Castle and pays for their meal to make up for the trouble. When they ask where he will go, he puts on his sunglasses and replies, “Wherever God takes me.”

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

Harris returned in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, the second installment of the Harold and Kumar series, taking place during the week following the White Castle adventure. Early promotion for the film included a poster featuring Harris on a unicorn, which posed the question “What would NPH do?” Harris picks up Harold and Kumar somewhere in the Southern United States and tells them, “This is where God took me.” He reveals that he is headed for Texas and offers to take them along with him. However, he is stopped by a roadblock set up to look for Harold and Kumar. Luckily agent Ron Fox, who had been looking for them, reveals that he is a big fan of Harris and allows them to go through without being searched. Harris had eaten a number of psilocybin mushrooms and saw visions of himself on a Unicorn during the conversation, he later praised himself for handling the situation so well. Upon entering Texas, he drives them to a brothel and brands his initials “NPH” on one of the girls. As the men try to make their getaway, the furious owner brandishes a shotgun and shoots Harris once in the back and once in the head. A panicked Harold and Kumar frantically drive off leaving Harris for dead, presumably. However, a stinger at the end of the credits reveals that Harris had survived the gunshots.

Credits

Internet

Audio Books

  • Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
  • Henry and the Clubhouse by Beverly Cleary
  • Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary
  • Socks by Beverly Cleary

Awards and nominations

Year Group Award Result Notes
1989 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama Nominated Clara's Heart
Golden Globe Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Nominated
1990 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actor Starring in a Television Series Won Doogie Howser, M.D.
1991 Won
1992 Won
1992 Golden Globe Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Comedy/Musical Nominated
2007 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actor: Comedy Nominated How I Met Your Mother
Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
2008 People's Choice Awards Favorite Scene Stealing Star Nominated
2008 Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated

References

  1. ^ Ramone Johnson. "Neil Patrick Harris". Gay Life. About.com. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  2. ^ Preston Scott Reed (Sep 2, 2005). "Neil Patrick Harris and John Stamos Lead Emcee Rankings". Dime-Co. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  3. ^ "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory". RiffTrax. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
  4. ^ "Joss Whedon Interview: The Web Has Been Wonderful For "Horrible"". Tubefilter. 2008-07-14. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  5. ^ Neil Patrick Harris is the Shoe Fairy Sesame Street press kit clip - Season 39 (Retrieved 2008-07-17)
  6. ^ "O.C. stars hit T.O.", Canada.com, October 23, 2006, retrieved 2008-03-24 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Neil Patrick Harris Tells PEOPLE He Is Gay", People, November 3, 2006, retrieved 2008-03-24 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Watch: Neil Patrick Harris Tells Ellen About Going To The Emmys Since Coming Out", The Huffington Post, September 13, 2007, retrieved 2008-03-24 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Neil Patrick Harris Steps Out", Queerty.com, September 17 2007, retrieved 2008-03-24 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ Us Weekly magazine, February 18, 2008
  11. ^ Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me archives. NPR. http://www.npr.org/programs/waitwait/archives.html April 5, 2008.
  12. ^ The Academy of Magical Arts Board of Directors and Board of Trustees, retrieved 2008-05-21
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