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Neil Patrick Harris on Suiting Up Once more as Barney & Not Visiting a Acquainted Set

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for How I Met Your Father Season 2 Episode 11 “Daddy.”]

Swimsuit up! Neil Patrick Harris returns as How I Met Your Mother‘s Barney Stinson within the midseason finale of the Hulu sequel collection.

Selecting up from the place How I Met Your Father left off Sophie (Hilary Duff) within the Season 2 premiere, we see her spill all about suspecting that her new boyfriend Robert (John Corbett) may truly be her dad (he’s not); if the story’s juicy sufficient, she doesn’t should pay for the repairs on Barney’s automotive after rear-ending him. Barney, in the meantime, now will get shocked by his ankle monitor each time he utters a problematic phrase or phrase (a.ok.a. loads). And in the long run, he has some recommendation that Sophie decides to observe: monitoring down her dad may result in one thing nice.

Right here, Harris talks about donning a swimsuit to play Barney as soon as once more.

Discuss getting the decision to reprise the function of Barney. Was it a right away sure? Did it’s important to give it some thought?

Neil Patrick Harris: Pam Fryman, who was the den mom of How I Met Your Mom, directed virtually all of them, is now the top and director of all of How I Met Your Father, texted me and mentioned, ‘any curiosity?’ And I mentioned, doubtlessly, however I have to know extra particulars, clearly. So I did a Zoom name with Pam and How I Met Your Father creators Isaac [Aptaker] and Elizabeth [Berger], they usually kind of pitched an concept of how Barney may seem in a singular means and supply a little bit of affect for Sophie, and on the similar time reveal a bit about his present standing. I assumed that their conceit was intelligent and the timings labored out, so I mentioned completely.

Did you need to embrace something whenever you spoke with them in that dialog?

I simply didn’t know them, and so I didn’t need to rely an excessive amount of on previous catchphrases and issues of his vernacular. I did nonetheless need modern Barney to have some redeeming qualities and never simply be kind of a burnout man making an attempt to nonetheless do the identical factor that he did prior to now once more, time and again, as if he was simply that singular. That was my solely request, however I believe that was a request made to individuals who have been in complete settlement. It wasn’t as if that was their plan, and I requested to alter something. I do know I nonetheless respect all of Barney and didn’t need him simply to be kind of the butt of the joke.

Talking of catchphrases, I believe problem was used properly.

Sure, certainly, in a intelligent means, which makes me blissful as a result of then followers of each exhibits can have an additional smile, but it surely doesn’t must be an actual jazz hand; lay it on thick punchline for positive.

Neil Patrick Harris and Hilary Duff in 'How I Met Your Father'

Patrick Wymore/Hulu

How was it stepping again into Barney’s footwear, or somewhat, swimsuit?

It was wistful and beautiful. He bought to put on good, well-fitted fits, so on a sartorial stage, I used to be happy. But in addition, there was loads of love and goodwill through the run of How I Met Your Mom, and a formidable quantity of crew from that present at the moment are crew members on How I Met Your Father. So I used to be not anticipating to reach and see so many acquainted faces. I knew I’d see Pam Fryman’s, and I used to be trying ahead to that, however I had no concept that the assistant director’s division was the identical, that the manufacturing, the design division was the identical. And so to have a reunion with so many individuals and meet up with so many individuals made me really feel a bit déjà vu-y that I used to be proper sort of again the place I used to be earlier than. It was pretty. Everybody continues to be in such good spirits and such variety individuals.

Did you cease by the set for what’s now the blokes’ residence?

Weirdly no. My scenes have been all executed, not even on that sound stage. We filmed at a complete different location outdoors within the precise avenue throughout an precise rainstorm in an space which is now being bulldozed and was sound phases. So it was sort of good. We have been on a backlot at Radford Studios. So no, I didn’t get to sit down on the sofa, and I’m glad as a result of I in all probability would’ve stolen props and written terrible issues on Put up-its on the fridge for them to learn months later.

As we discover out, Barney has that experimental electro-shock remedy with the ankle monitor, which clearly isn’t working very properly. However this can be a Barney who’s very a lot a piece in progress in terms of not being the person he was once, regardless that he’s now a father to Ellie. However he can get there, proper?

That was the candy spot that we needed to hit was to acknowledge and acknowledge, however not essentially neuter, proper? As a result of a part of Barney’s DNA is being fast with a doubtlessly ill-timed or lewd punchline to what another person is saying. That’s what he did for the entire run of How I Met Your Mom. So I applaud them for locating a mechanism with which he might be beholden to and making an attempt to enhance, however nonetheless inevitably kind of his similar base self.

Even in his final line about Venmo, he can’t assist however end it regardless that he is aware of he’s going to be shocked.

For positive, for positive. He’s surprising in additional methods than one, that Barney Stinson.

What do you assume Barney noticed in Sophie throughout their dialog? Clearly, each have points with their fathers, although they’ve been dealing with it in several methods.

Barney has an simple honest spot for the father-daughter relationship. So to listen to from an grownup feminine that she’s craving for that very same connection, I believe, resonated with him; regardless that most of his recommendation is to be ignored, he [had] a factor or two to say with some positivity and dedication in that regard.

Discuss working with Hilary. I do know you two knew one another earlier than filming.

We did. I believe she’s simply wonderful. She’s a multihyphenate, and the truth that a type of hyphenates is a mom of three, doing that full-time with children of various ages and being so constructive nonetheless on set and so current and so skilled and a producer, it was a pleasure to see. I don’t know, I simply assume, I suppose, that whenever you’re going onto somebody’s present, they don’t should be the nicest individual. They don’t should even actually be there very a lot. They’ll present up proper earlier than they’re capturing. That’s allowed. They could have 5 different gigs; I don’t know them. And but she was there, current, variety, useful operating traces with me, sharing tales. I couldn’t have felt extra welcome, and it was rooted in a sincerity that was actually appreciated.

Hilary Duff and Neil Patrick Harris in 'How I Met Your Father'

Patrick Wymore/Hulu

Discuss that reunion with Pamela.

Pam’s simply one of many nice girls in my life. I’ve a handful. My precise mom, Sheila, my unique agent and supervisor, Booh Schut, and Pamela Fryman. She’s only a standup, exceptional particular person. She was the guiding mild for everybody for the entire How I Met Your Mom run. She’s a exceptional mom to her twin daughters. She was the officiant at my husband’s and my marriage ceremony. She’s only a actually nice human. She has an unimaginable knack for comedy, for sustaining genuine, pretty vibes with a crew. She’s every little thing, and so I do no matter she tells me each time she asks. [Laughs]

Will we see you once more this season?

No. We needed it to be sort of a singular incidence. I believe the truth that Sophie can run into those that we have now seen prior to now — I suppose actually run into them, in my case — after which have that be a second for her versus having that individual turn out to be a participant within the story in a bigger means helps inform this story in its singular kind.

Are you ruling out returning sooner or later? Or if Pamela texts once more, you may rethink?

She has not but. I don’t know, I believe they’re ready to see in the event that they get picked up, so I actually couldn’t say.

At this level, how do you keep in mind How I Met Your Mom, particularly after reprising Barney’s function on How I Met Your Father?

I simply completely liked the entire chapter. It was a good time to be on tv. We have been on a community present that made it previous the four-year mark after which syndication began, so we all of the sudden had some momentum after which earlier than you knew it, we have been in 12 months 9 and we’d all been collectively by way of relationships and deaths and births and all of it. After which Barney continued to be a sharp-dressed, whiskey-drinking, delusional cad advised by an imperfect narrator. And so it was only a actually enjoyable factor to get to play. Each episode was a brand new loopy journey, and Barney had so many costumes and characters and every little thing. It was one of the best sort of nuts sandbox to play in. I simply liked it.

How I Met Your Father, Midseason Premiere, Tuesday, Might 23, Hulu


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