Neil Patrick Harris and Nick Jonas

Neil Patrick Harris Faces Backlash For 'Creepy' Past Comments About Crushing On A Young Nick Jonas

Home / News / Neil Patrick Harris Faces Backlash For 'Creepy' Past Comments About Crushing On A Young Nick Jonas

By Favour Adegoke on October 26, 2022 at 11:00 PM EDT
Updated on October 29, 2022 at 1:51 PM EDT

Hollywood star Neil Patrick Harris is getting dragged online for a remark he made about Nick Jonas years ago.

"The Matrix Resurrections" actor appeared on a 2015 episode of "The Wendy Williams Show" and confessed that Jonas was his celebrity crush to host Wendy Williams. Since the comment resurfaced on social media earlier in the week, fans have blasted the actor, referencing the age gap between the pair.

In the meantime, Harris has starred in a couple of projects, including Netflix's "Uncoupled" and the action comedy "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent." The actor is also slated to appear as a villain in "Doctor Who."

Read below for more details.

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Neil Patrick Harris Crushed On A Young Nick Jonas

Neil Patrick Harris and Nick Jonas
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According to the The Post, Harris came under fire for a former remark about young Nick Jonas that seemed wholly improper. This backlash comes after the comments somehow resurfaced on social media on Tuesday.

Back in 2015, Harris, 49, appeared on an episode of "The Wendy Williams Show" and admitted that he had a crush on the singer, now 30.

Although making such a comment is usually taken to be a compliment, the fact that the crush appeared to have started when Jonas was still a teenager made the statement by the "How I Met Your Mother" star look rather distasteful.

In a clip of the segment, Harris did admit that it might be out of place to discuss such feelings due to their age gap, describing Jonas as "really good-looking before it was kind of allowed to think he was good-looking."

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Neil Patrick Harris Said His Husband Knew About The Crush

Neil Patrick Harris at The Matrix Resurrections - San Francisco Premiere
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However, he seemed to wonder why it was inappropriate to crush on someone so young.

Harris told Williams, "[This] was a bit of a problem, you kind of had to wait til he turned to be, you know… 19, 20. You're like, 'What is happening?'"

The actor, who was already married to David Burtka at the time of the interview, said that because his husband was aware of his sentiments for the singer, he felt comfortable discussing them on live television.

"David knows it, so I guess it's not a bad thing to say," Harris admitted per The Post.

When the interview was filmed, Nick, who first gained notoriety at age 12 as a Disney child star and as one-third of the Jonas Brothers, was 23 years old.

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Fans Slam The Actor Over The Resurfaced Clip

https://www.tiktok.com/@girlbossvideos/video/7152542274314980614

Numerous people have taken issue with Harris' words since they resurfaced on social media. Some fans condemned Neil for making the "completely inappropriate" and "problematic" remarks, while others blasted the audience for laughing.

One fan wrote, "So strange as I literally love this man- but everyday another problematic issue is shocking but not shocking." Another person penned, "There's a way to compliment a younger person's looks without sounding creepy."

Another section of fans argued about whether the actor was in the wrong for making such a statement.

One follower commented, "This is weird but considering it’s an outlier he was saying until he turned 19/20 I’ll give him a pass"

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Another fan wrote, "yes, it's fucking gross for an adult to express attraction to a minor, look up ephebophile."

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Neil Patrick Harris' Latest Features

Neil Patrick Harris at The Matrix Resurrections - San Francisco Premiere
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Harris has yet to issue any reply to the criticism he has received in the wake of the resurfaced comments. In the meantime, he most recently appeared in the Darren Star and Jeffrey Richman-written Netflix series "Uncoupled."

In the show, Harris portrayed a New York City real estate agent who had just been dumped by his partner and was now navigating the modern dating scene for the first time in nearly two decades.

Harris also played a supporting role in the action comedy "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," which starred Nicholas Cage as the fictionalized version of himself.

Earlier in June, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies also announced that the actor would be joining the cast of the science fiction tv program as a villain.

"Neil Patrick Harris, welcome to Cardiff! Playing the greatest enemy the Doctor has ever faced," Russell wrote on Instagram.

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