Before 2005, the year that saw Neil Patrick Harris soar to fame as smooth-talking bachelor Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother, he had already clocked up credits in film and television. For those that have relatively short memories, Harris featured as Lance in 2002 comedy Undercover Brother, as well as in the original Starship Troopers, a guilty pleasure of mine. I'd argue, however, that Harris's television credts are even more impressive than his filmography. He has featured in such shows as Blossom, Roseanne, The Simpsons, Quantum Leap, Captain Planet and the Planeteers and Will & Grace. Sure, Harris first gained positive recognition for his role as David in Clara's Heart, television is where Harris has really set the standard.
There's something incredibly impressive about Harris. He conducts himself with an air of confidence and humility that is rarely matched by others in Hollywood. In interviews gone by with such tonight show names such as Craig Ferguson, Harris is both funny and engaging in his anecotes and conversational dialogue. What's particualrly impressive about Harris is his ability and willingness to portray Stinson. It's not just the fact that Stinson is a womaniser and Harris is openly homosexual off-screen, but Harris has made a brave career choice: to risk being typecasted as a sleazy, individualistic straight guy when he is a charming, articulate gay man in personal life. Whilst Harris runs the risk of never being able to shake the Stinson tag once How I Met Your Mother comes to an end, he has contributed solidly to a sitcom that just keeps on keeping on. All of this being said, however, Harris very well may have a rich, diverse career waiting for him post-Mother. He has remained active as an actor in both film and television mediums since striking gold with CBS. Harris has continued to appear in the Harold & Kumar series since first appearing in it in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle in 2004 and has racked up voice credits in a number of films, such as Beyond All Boundaries, Justice League: The New Frontier and, a personal direct-to-video favourite of mine: Batman: Under the Red Hood. In summary: Harris has been active and open to a variety of roles.
So, are the skies the limit for Harris, or has he hit them already? It would be fair to say that Harris has achieved immortality in small screen land in his role as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother but he has also remained active in seeking work and developing his filmography and list of television credits since first apeparing on the show. Harris may be 38 and his role as Stinson may, like all things, have an expiry date, but his career looks like it has some time before it comes to an end yet.
By Chris Traficante