Neil Patrick Harris does parenting in the public eye
What's the right way to be a gay dad?
Neil Patrick Harris is one of the most visible gay parents in the entertainment industry. Harris and his husband, David Burtka, have two children - they've talked publicly about the surrogate process through which they became fathers.
While many celebrity couples go to great lengths to shield the identity of their children, Harris and Burtka have leaned into the role of public figures - regularly sharing insights into their family life.
The latest discussion point from Harris is that he doesn't want to take a paternity test to determine the biological fatherhood of the children.
"I have no interest in [finding out]..." explained Harris. "We are their parents and I love them implicitly. We inserted one of my sperm and one of David's sperm into two eggs with the hope that they would both take, just because we both wanted to be dads biologically. Both took, miraculously."
Harris is currently on our screens in the series Uncoupled, he's also a villain in the current series of Doctor Who. Future projects include a role in a film about Anita Bryant.
Who is Neil Patrick Harris?
Neil Patrick Harris is an actor. He’s known primarily for his comedy roles on television and his dramatic and musical stage roles.
On television, he is known for playing the title character on the ABC series Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989–1993), as well as Barney Stinson on the CBS series How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014).
Early life and career
Harris was born in 1973 in New Mexico.
Harris began his career as a child actor – receiving a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Clara’s Heart.
His career has included a range of television, film, and theatre roles.
Personal life
Harris began publicly discussing his sexuality in 2006.
He began dating David Burtka in 2004 and they were married in 2014. The couple have two children - Harper and Gideon.
