Neil Patrick Harris Says He's 'Interested in Doing Things That Are Apolitical' While Promoting 'Sunny Day' in Germany
Neil Patrick Harris is promoting his film Sunny Dancer at the 2026 Berlinale International Film Festival.
The 52-year-old actor attended a red carpet event at Berlinale Palast along with a press conference and photo call at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Berlin, Germany on Friday (February 13).
The actor posed alongside his co-stars Bella Ramsey, Este Haim, and filmmaker George Jaques.
While on the carpet, the cast was asked about fascism and whether or not they believe cinema should be political to help fight against it, per The Hollywood Reporter.
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“I think we live in a strangely algorithmic and divided world right now, and so as artists, I’m always interested in doing things that are apolitical,” the How I Met Your Mother alum responded. “Because we’re all, as humans, wanting to connect in some way.”
“That’s why we experience things together,” he continued. “And so when you get to go to a film where you’re caring about the people, you’re caring about the heart of what’s happening, you’re watching this film of these young adults growing up under the umbrella of a world where some of them won’t, and I think that is so touching and also kind of exciting and rebellious and horny, and then it’s fun to be able to witness that without having to process it through a contemporary lens. Right?”
THR reports that, later, a journalist said it was “embarrassing” to say their film wasn’t political “after having had access to health care to fight cancer themselves.”
Sunny Dancer revolves around Bella‘s character Ivy, a teenager who beats cancer and “can’t think of anything worse than becoming a Make-a-Wish kid,” resulting in her parents sending her to a “summer camp for kids affected by cancer, led by camp counselor Patrick (Harris), she manages to find unexpected friends in an unlikely group of misfits.”
Another reporter asked Neil: “Do you dare to criticize your government and do you think democracy in the U.S. is in danger?”
“Wow. While I have my own political opinions, I think as a performer, especially in this kind of movie, [I’m] trying to be as inclusive [as possible.] I never read this script as a political statement. It was much more about a human growing up and having realizations about themselves, singularly and [about] friendship,” he answered.
See where Neil ranks among the wealthiest How I Met Your Mother stars.