Neil Patrick Harris took to Instagram to celebrate his mother Sheila Scott Harris turning 80, calling her 'a truly remarkable woman' and crediting both himself and his brother with having 'won the Mom Lottery.' The heartfelt tribute, shared with a series of birthday photographs, quickly drew attention from fans of the beloved actor.

The Birthday Tribute

In his Instagram post, Harris wrote: 'My mom turned 80 yesterday! Sheila Scott Harris is a truly remarkable woman, brimming with kindness, support and unconditional love.' He added a playful note about the family's milestone year: 'My brother and I are so grateful to have her as our mother (our dad is pretty swell too, but he turned 80 in June, so this is Mom's moment). I feel like we kinda won the Mom Lottery. xoxo'

The post, tagged to @wellsheilaxoxo with the hashtag #80thbirthday, captured the warmth of a family celebrating two parental milestones within the same year.

Career Highlights

Harris remains one of American television's most recognisable faces. He rose to early fame playing the title character in the medical drama Doogie Howser, M.D., before cementing his status as a pop-culture icon through his portrayal of Barney Stinson in the long-running sitcom How I Met Your Mother. More recently, he played Count Olaf in the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events.

His screen credits also include the cult musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, directed by Joss Whedon, a fictional version of himself in the Harold & Kumar film series, and mainstream films such as Starship Troopers, The Smurfs, The Smurfs 2, and Gone Girl. His most recent screen appearance was in Sunny Dancer, a British coming-of-age comedy from director George Jaques, co-starring Bella Ramsey, Daniel Quinn-Toye, Ruby Stokes, Jessica Gunning, and James Norton, among others.

Personal Life

Harris has been in a relationship with actor and chef David Burtka since April 2004. The couple became parents to twins — son Gideon and daughter Harper — in October 2010, born via a surrogate mother. They married in Italy in September 2014. Harris has previously spoken openly about his sexuality, including in a 2008 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, where he described how an earlier relationship helped him understand himself better.

What Fans Are Saying

The birthday post resonated widely on social media, with admirers praising Harris for his candid affection and the genuine warmth of the tribute. The actor's openness about family life has long been a part of his public persona, distinguishing him in an industry where personal boundaries are tightly guarded. As both his parents turn 80 this year, the milestone serves as a reminder of the family values Harris has often spoken about in interviews.