Neil Patrick Harris Joins the Cast of 'Boys'

East Hampton’s Neil Patrick Harris will star in a new series on the British Channel 4. Boys, created by Russell T Davies, tells the story of three friends in 1980s London and how the AIDS crisis changes their lives.

Davies created the show because he wanted the story of how AIDS ravaged a generation to live on. “I lived through those times, and it’s taken me decades to build up to this. And as time marches on, there’s a danger the story will be forgotten. So it’s an honour to write this for the ones we lost, and the ones who survived,” Davies said in a press release. The writer/producer is known for his groundbreaking LGBTQ-themed shows, including Queer as Folk, Cucumber, Banana and Tofu. Queer as Folk was adapted by Showtime in the United States, where it enjoyed a five-season run and is being rebooted for NBCUniversal’s upcoming streaming service.

Harris joins other cast members Olly Alexander, Keeley Hawes, Stephen Fry, Tracy Ann Oberman, Shaun Dooley, Omari Douglas, Callum Scott Howells and Lydia West. There’s no word yet on who Harris will be playing. Harris is one of the most prolific openly gay actors working today and is married to fellow actor, foodie and Dan’s Taste of Summer regular David Burtka.