Think about the year 2005. It was a weird time. Flip phones were the peak of technology, and sitcoms were largely dominated by the "lovable loser" or the "doofus dad" trope. Then came a guy in a tailored suit who shouted "Suit up!" and "Legen—wait for it—dary!" at anyone within earshot. If you've spent even five minutes on the internet or in front of a TV in the last two decades, you know exactly who I’m talking about. But for those just diving into the nine-season binge-watch, the question of who plays Barney in How I Met Your Mother is usually the first thing they Google.
The answer is Neil Patrick Harris.
He didn't just play the role. Honestly, he kind of reinvented what a sitcom sidekick could be. Before HIMYM, Barney Stinson was actually envisioned by the creators, Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, as a "large, John Belushi-type" character. Imagine that for a second. The character was supposed to be a loud, physical force of nature. But when NPH walked into the audition room and performed a laser-tag-inspired physical comedy routine, the entire trajectory of the show changed.
The Man Behind the Playbook
Neil Patrick Harris was already a household name before he stepped into Maclaren’s Pub, but for a very different reason. He was Doogie Howser, M.D. He was the child prodigy who could perform surgery but couldn't get a date to the prom. For years, Harris struggled with the "child star" stigma that claims so many actors.
Then came Barney.
It’s a masterclass in performance. Barney Stinson is, on paper, a pretty terrible human being. He’s a serial womanizer who uses elaborate "plays" to trick women into bed. He’s obsessed with status, suits, and himself. Yet, Harris brought a vulnerability to the role that made it impossible to hate him. You see it in the way his voice cracks when he talks about his absent father, or the subtle look of heartbreak when he sees Robin with another man.
He made a cartoonish character feel human. That's a rare skill.
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Why Neil Patrick Harris was the perfect fit
Why did it work so well?
Part of it is Harris’s background in magic and theater. Barney isn't just a guy who likes suits; he's a performer. Every time he walks into a room, he’s putting on a show. Harris is a real-life magician—he was actually the President of the Board of Directors of Hollywood’s Magic Castle. When you see Barney doing card tricks or disappearing acts on the show, that’s not camera trickery or a hand double. That’s actually Neil Patrick Harris.
The physical comedy he brought to the table was something the writers leaned into heavily. He has this elastic face. He can go from a smug grin to a "Challenge Accepted" stare in 0.2 seconds. It's rhythmic. It's almost musical. Speaking of music, his Broadway background allowed the show to lean into those massive musical numbers, like "Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit," which earned the show an Emmy nomination.
The Contrast of Reality
There’s a layer of irony that most fans now know, but it was a massive talking point during the show’s original run. While Barney Stinson was the world’s most prolific "bro" and womanizer, Neil Patrick Harris is a gay man who has been in a committed relationship with his now-husband, David Burtka, for years.
He came out publicly in 2006, right as the show was becoming a juggernaut.
At the time, there were some industry whispers. Would people still buy him as a ladies' man? The answer was a resounding yes. If anything, it proved just how incredible his acting was. He wasn't playing himself; he was creating a persona. He won multiple Emmy nominations and People's Choice Awards because the audience connected with the character, regardless of the actor's personal life.
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Beyond the "Legen-wait-for-it-dary" Catchphrases
It wasn't all just jokes and high-fives. As the series progressed, especially in the later seasons (roughly seasons 6 through 9), the writers gave Harris much heavier material.
The search for his father, Jerry (played by John Lithgow), is some of the best acting in the entire series. When Barney finally breaks down and tries to take the basketball hoop from Jerry’s suburban driveway because "a kid needs a hoop," it’s a gut-punch. Harris plays that transition from anger to deep-seated childhood trauma beautifully.
He also navigated the complex romance with Robin Scherbatsky. It was a polarizing plot point for some fans who wanted Ted and Robin to be "endgame," but the chemistry between Cobie Smulders and Neil Patrick Harris was undeniable. They shared a specific type of "brokenness" that made their pairing feel more grounded than the idealized romance Ted was chasing.
Impact on Pop Culture and the "Bro Code"
It’s hard to overstate how much Barney Stinson leaked into the real world. Before the show, "The Bro Code" wasn't a published book found in every Spencer’s Gifts or airport bookstore. It was just a vague concept.
The character became a brand.
- The Suits: Sales of slim-fit suits reportedly saw a bump because of the "Suit Up" movement.
- The Vocabulary: Terms like "Legendary," "Wait for it," "Challenge Accepted," and "Lawyered" became staples of the mid-2000s lexicon.
- The Playbook: An actual book was released, detailing the absurd scams Barney used, which, while obviously satirical, became a best-seller.
Even years after the finale aired in 2014, the character persists in memes. If you go on TikTok or Instagram today, you’ll find "sigma" edits of Barney Stinson, which is ironic considering the character was intended to be a parody of that very mindset.
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What has Neil Patrick Harris done since?
Once the show wrapped, Harris didn't just disappear. He won a Tony Award for Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway. He played Count Olaf in Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, bringing that same theatrical villainy to a younger audience. He even showed up as The Toymaker in Doctor Who.
But for many, he will always be the guy at the end of the bar.
He actually reprised the role recently in the spin-off, How I Met Your Father. Seeing him step out of an Audi in a suit again felt like a time capsule. It reminded everyone that while the show's ending was... let's say "controversial" (don't get me started on the finale), the performance given by NPH was flawless from the pilot to the very last frame.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of the man who played Barney, here is how you can actually engage with his work and the character's legacy:
- Watch the "Suit" Episode: If you want to see the peak of his performance, watch Season 5, Episode 12 ("Girls Versus Suits"). It’s the 100th episode and features the massive musical number that defines his character.
- Check out the Magic Castle: If you're ever in Los Angeles, try to get an invite to the Magic Castle. You'll see the real-world influence of the magic subplots that Harris insisted be part of Barney's DNA.
- Read "Choose Your Own Autobiography": Harris wrote a memoir that is structured like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book. It gives a lot of insight into his time on the set of HIMYM and how he approached the role.
- Observe the Physicality: Next time you watch, pay attention to Barney's hands. Harris uses constant movement—adjusting a tie, checking a watch, performing a sleight-of-hand trick—to show that Barney is a man who can never be still or honest with himself.
The legacy of Barney Stinson isn't just about the jokes. It's about a character who represented the fear of growing up, wrapped in a 3nd-generation Italian silk suit. Neil Patrick Harris took a role that could have been a one-note caricature and turned it into the emotional heartbeat of one of the most successful sitcoms in history.
To fully appreciate the range of the actor, watch the episodes "Cleaning House" (Season 6, Episode 2) and "The Final Page" (Season 8, Episodes 11 and 12). These showcase the absolute best of Harris's dramatic and comedic timing, proving why he was the breakout star of the ensemble.