Before we all fell in love with Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson from How I Met Yout Mother, he was making us all laugh with his cameos in the Harold and Kumar series. In the three film series, Neil plays a highly fictionalized version of himself, and fans instantly loved his short scenes in the films.

However, how would you guys feel if we told you Neil did not know he was in the film? Well, believe it or not, that actually happened? Interested how Neil got to know about his now iconic cameos in the film? Then read along.

Neil Patrick Harris did not know he was in the script of Harold and Kumar

The actor plays a drug-addicted, stripper-loving fictionalized version of himself in the first Harold & Kumar film. However, Harris had no input in the project’s production and was surprised when he was cast. When speaking with GQ about his most famous characters, he said, “Harold & Kumar was very strange. I was living in Los Angeles and I got a phone call from a friend that said, ‘I’m auditioning for this movie that you’re in,’ and I had no idea what he was talking about. I was not in any movie.”

Harris couldn’t believe it when his friend told him about the storyline and the “crazy version” of himself in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, so he quickly contacted his agency to learn more. “I kinda panicked because I didn’t want to be the ass of a joke. Like, who’s going to play me?” he said. “So I called my agent… They sent me the script and it was really funny; I was flattered to be honest…”

Neil had a condition for Jon Hurwitz before signing the film

He leaped at the chance to be a part of the cast of the 2004 film by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. But only on one condition: “My only demand was that I would sign up and they wouldn’t rewrite it and change it,” Harris said. Fans now surely must know Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg as the brilliant creators of Netflix’s hit Cobra Kai series.

What do you guys think about Neil Patrick Harris‘ cameos in the Harold and Kumar trilogy? Harold and Kumar films are currently streaming on Netflix.