In what has been a spat of mind-blowing and amazing Doctor Who announcements, the BBC and Russell T. Davies have added another headline. This is one no one could have foreseen. Emmy and Tony-winning actor and comedian Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, A Series of Unfortunate Events) has joined the cast of Doctor Who. Harris is currently filming scenes set to air in 2023 as part of the show’s 60th anniversary.
As to who or what role he will be playing remains a mystery: A mystery returning showrunner Russell T. Davies is not in a hurry to reveal:
It’s my huge honour to open our studio doors for the mighty Neil Patrick Harris… but who, why, what is he playing? You’ll just have to wait. But I promise you, the stuff we’re shooting now is off the scale. Doctor beware!
While Davies didn’t reveal who Neil Patrick Harris would portray, we did get a sneak peek at what his character will look like, thanks to NPH. It does give me some ideas… Anyone else getting a Celestial Toymaker vibe?
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A TARDIS Worthy Talent
Harris, or NPH as he is known by his fans, has been a TV star since he was a teen. He first became a household name by starring as an adolescent medical school graduate, Doogie Howser, MD for four seasons on ABC before playing Barney Stinson for 9 years on How I Met Your Mother. Besides his TV career, Harris has appeared on the big screen and Broadway.
His career is filled with many geeky bona fides. Neil Patrick Harris has voiced both Spider-Man and Nightwing in animated features. He played Count Olaf in the recent Netflix adaption of A Series of Unfortunate Events and was Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers (1997). He also starred in The Matrix Resurrections. Harris also played the title role in the web-exclusive musical comedy Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (2008), widely downloaded via iTunes to become the #1 TV series for five straight weeks, despite not being on television.
If you want to see Harris showcase all of his talents, check out this opening performance for the 2013 Tony Awards:
Doctor Who is currently filming for its upcoming 60th-anniversary special (specials?) with former series stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate before newly announced Ncuti Gatwa takes over as the 14th Doctor in 2023.
