Neil Patrick Harris says childhood WWE fandom was an early sign he was gay

Neil Patrick Harris has joked that his childhood love of WWE wrestling should have been an early clue about his sexuality.

The How I Met Your Mother star made the remark during an appearance on SiriusXM's The Sam Roberts Show on 15 September, where he spoke about his upcoming film Sunny Dancer and reflected on some of his childhood interests.

Asked whether he had always been a fan of professional wrestling, Harris replied: "Who doesn't love WWE?" before revealing that he had kept his enthusiasm for the sport largely to himself when he was younger.

"I secretly liked the WWE when I was younger," he said. "It was kind of a tell for knowing I was gonna be gay."

Host Sam Roberts responded with a joke about whether his own interest in wrestling warranted some self-reflection. Harris laughed off the suggestion before explaining what he found appealing about the spectacle. "You know, like tight shorts; they're oiled up... grappling," he said. "It's like, 'I'm not supposed to be liking this as much as I am'."

Harris also shared his fondness for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, the popular 1980s animated series centred on the famously muscular hero. The actor revealed he collected the action figures as a child, adding another entry to the list of pop culture favourites he now views through a different lens.

Roberts noted that Harris was enjoying WWE during his years starring in Doogie Howser, M.D., prompting the actor to laugh along with the observation.

While Harris's comments were made in jest, they touched on a wider conversation within LGBTQ+ communities about childhood interests and the moments that, in retrospect, may have hinted at a person's sexuality before they fully understood it themselves.

The intersection between wrestling and LGBTQ+ culture has also become increasingly visible in recent years. In March 2026, wrestler Aaron Rourke became the first openly gay wrestler to win a WWE title, while former WWE performer Gabbi Tuft returned to the wrestling world after publicly transitioning.