Since his teen years, Neil Patrick Harris has found himself in the spotlight as a celebrity. His film and television career kicked off in the late 1980s. From 1989 to 1993, Harris starred as the teen-prodigy doctor Douglas “Doogie” Howser on the hit medical sitcom Doogie Howser, M.D. While navigating his role on his set, he was also having to come to terms with his sexuality. While starring as Doogie Howser, Harris was dating another teen actor who actually helped him realize he was gay. Here’s the full scoop on this relationship and how it helped shape Neil Patrick Harris.
Christine Taylor helped Neil Patrick Harris realize he was gay
While the former child star did not publicly come out until his 30s, Harris came to terms with his sexuality years earlier. In fact, Harris actually realized he was gay while dating a famous woman. Harris dated fellow actor Christine Taylor from 1997-1998. Taylor was known for playing Marcia Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie and for her role in the Nickelodeon TV series Hey Dude.
After coming out publicly in 2006, Harris made an appearance on The Howard Stern Show in 2008. He revealed that his teen romance with Taylor actually helped him come to terms with his sexuality early on. “She’s the coolest, nicest chick ever,” he said of Taylor (via Us Weekly). “She’s an absolute catch, and I thought, ‘If I’m not going to feel the super sparks with her … it probably means I’m gay.'” Taylor went on to marry Ben Stiller in 2000.
Neil Patrick Harris came out in the early 2000s
Growing up in the public eye, Harris grew accustomed to speculation about his private life from both fans and the media, including his sexuality. After taking a break from the limelight, he began portraying the character Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother in 2005. Around this time, Harris made the bold decision to finally publicly address his sexuality.
In 2006, Harris came out in a statement to People Magazine at the age of 33. “The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently, I have been able to live a pretty normal life,” he began.
“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.”
Neil Patrick Harris shares a family with his husband David Burtka
After his short relationship with Christine Taylor, Harris also went on to marry an actor and start a family of his own. A year after publicly coming out, Harris attended the Emmy Awards with actor David Burtka in September 2007. Like Harris, Burtka also appeared on How I Met Your Mother in the role of Scooter. After their first public appearance together, Harris confirmed that the two were in a romantic relationship on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Despite having been in a relationship since April 2004, Harris and Burtka were not able to tie the knot for nearly a decade, as same-sex marriage was not legally recognized throughout the United States. The couple officially tied the knot in September 2014 with a wedding ceremony held in Italy.
While not legally allowed to exchange vows early on in their relationship, this did not stop Harris and Burtka from starting a family. The two welcomed fraternal twins, Harper and Gideon, in October 2010, via surrogacy. During an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show, Burtka discussed the process of having children. According to People, Burtka revealed to Williams that he is the biological father of one of the twins and Harris is the biological father of the other, jokingly saying, “It’s a lot harder for gay guys [to have kids], although we tried!”
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