David Burtka

David Michael Burtka (born May 29, 1975) is an American actor and chef.

Early life David Burtka was born in Dearborn, Michigan, the son of Deborah A. Zajas (died 2008) and Daniel Burtka. He is of Polish descent. He grew up in Canton, Michigan, and graduated from Salem High School in 1993. He trained in acting at Interlochen Center for the Arts, obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan and had further training at the William Esper Studios.

Acting career Burtka made his television debut in 2002 with a guest role on The West Wing.

Burtka appeared in seven episodes of How I Met Your Mother, playing Scooter, the former high school boyfriend of Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan). Burtka made a cameo appearance in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, as himself, opposite Neil Patrick Harris.

Burtka starred in Osiris Entertainment's 2013 film Annie and the Gypsy, and had a featured role in the 2014 film Dance-Off.

In 2015, Burtka returned to Broadway in a musical comedy, directed by David Hyde Pierce and entitled It Shoulda Been You.

Culinary career While living in Los Angeles, Burtka took a hiatus from acting full-time to become a professional chef. He graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Pasadena in the summer of 2009; afterwards, he began running a Los Angeles catering company, "Gourmet MD". Burtka's cookbook, Life is a Party, a collection of recipes and tips on entertaining, was published in April 2019.

Personal life Burtka with his husband, Neil Patrick Harris, in September 2011.

Burtka was in a relationship with Lane Janger in the early 2000s, around the time Janger was expecting twins via surrogacy. Although not the biological or legal father of the children, Burtka helped raise them during his relationship with Janger, and has remained close to them after he and Janger split.

Burtka has been in a relationship with Neil Patrick Harris since April 2004. In October 2010 they became parents to twins, Harper and Gideon, who were born via a surrogate mother.

Following the passage of the Marriage Equality Act in New York on June 24, 2011, Burtka and Harris announced their engagement, stating that they had proposed to each other five years earlier but had kept the engagement secret until same-sex marriage became legal in their state. They married in Italy in September 2014.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1999 24 Nights Toby 2007 Worldly Possession Andrew Bates Television film Open House Husband Short film Army Guy Keith Short film 2011 A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas Himself Gaysharktank.comBroadway Guy Short film 2012 Annie and the Gypsy Martin 2013 The Gay Christian MingleAlan Short film 2014 Dance-Off JT 2020 Cicada Bo

Television Year Title Role Notes 2002 The West Wing Bruce Episode: "The Black Vera Wang" 2005 Crossing Jordan Craig Heeley Episode: "Total Recall" 2006–2014 How I Met Your Mother Scooter 7 episodes 2007 CSI: NY David King Episode: "Down the Rabbit Hole" 2012–2013 Neil's Puppet Dreams Himself 7 episodes 2013 Iron Chef America Himself Episode: "Zakarian vs. Chiarello: Scotch" 2014 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself (guest judge) Episode: "Drag My Wedding" 2015 Beat Bobby Flay Himself (guest judge) Episode: "No Training Wheels" American Horror Story: Freak Show Michael Beck Episode: "Curtain Call" 2018 A Series of Unfortunate Events Mr. Willums 2 episodes 2020 Home Movie: The Princess Bride Princess Buttercup Episode: "Chapter Five: Life Is Pain" 2022 Uncoupled Jerry Episode: "Chapter 6" 2023 Drag Me to Dinner Himself (judge) 10 episodes 2026 Elle Chad 3 episodes