David Burtka Bio
David Michael Burtka (born May 29, 1975) is an American actor and chef whose career has spanned Broadway, television, and film, alongside a notable second profession in the culinary arts. Born and raised in Michigan, he trained as a classical performer before moving into on-screen roles and eventually establishing himself in Los Angeles. He is widely recognized for his recurring television work and his long-running partnership with actor Neil Patrick Harris, with whom he shares twins.
Over the years, Burtka has balanced stage and screen projects with a successful catering business and a published cookbook. His work as a chef grew out of a personal passion for entertaining, and he continues to perform while developing new culinary ventures.
Early Life and Background
David Michael Burtka was born on May 29, 1975, in Dearborn, Michigan, to Daniel Burtka and Deborah A. Zajas. He is of Polish descent and grew up in Canton, Michigan, where he graduated from Salem High School in 1993. His mother passed away in 2008.
As a young student, Burtka showed an early interest in the performing arts. He trained in acting at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a renowned program in northern Michigan that has produced many notable performers. This early exposure to theatre and performance laid the foundation for his later training and professional career.
He went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan, one of the country’s leading programs for theatre and performing arts. After completing his degree, Burtka continued his craft at the William Esper Studios in New York City, a studio known for its Meisner-based acting training and respected alumni.
Path to Celebrity
Burtka began his professional acting career in the early 2000s, with a television debut in 2002 on the acclaimed political drama The West Wing. He quickly followed this with a guest appearance on Crossing Jordan, marking his transition from training to working television actor. These early guest roles helped him build credits and visibility within the industry.
His Broadway debut came in 2003, when he played Tulsa in the revival of Gypsy, which starred Bernadette Peters. The role placed him on a major New York stage and introduced him to a wider theatrical audience. Earlier in his career, he had also taken on the role of The Boy in the American premiere of Edward Albee’s The Play About the Baby, a performance that earned him the 2001 Clarence Derwent Award for most promising male performer.
Burtka continued to build his profile through new musical work, originating the role of Matt Mateo in The Opposite of Sex in 2004 and reprising the part for its East Coast premiere in the summer of 2006. These projects helped him establish a reputation as a versatile stage actor willing to take on challenging new works.
David Burtka Career
Early Career (1999–2004)
David Michael Burtka began his screen and stage career in the early 2000s, with a television debut on The West Wing in 2002 and a guest spot on Crossing Jordan the same year. These early appearances gave him practical experience on professional sets and allowed him to begin building a résumé in New York-based productions.
His Broadway debut as Tulsa in the 2003 revival of Gypsy, opposite Bernadette Peters, marked a significant early-career milestone. Around the same time, his Off-Broadway performance in Edward Albee’s The Play About the Baby earned him the 2001 Clarence Derwent Award, an early-career recognition that signaled his promise as a young stage actor.
Breakthrough (2004–2023)
Burtka’s most recognized television role came on the long-running CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, where he played Scooter, the former high school boyfriend of Lily Aldrin, across seven episodes. The recurring role gave him ongoing visibility with a wide prime-time audience and remains one of his best-known credits.
In 2011, he made a cameo appearance as himself in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, appearing opposite his partner Neil Patrick Harris. He went on to star in the 2013 Osiris Entertainment film Annie and the Gypsy, and took a featured role in the 2014 film Dance-Off, expanding his work into feature-length projects.
In 2015, Burtka returned to Broadway in the musical comedy It Shoulda Been You, directed by David Hyde Pierce. He later starred in an Off-Broadway revival of Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage at Theatre Row, which began previews on April 18, 2023, and officially opened on April 27, 2023, alongside Carey Cox, Gabe Fazio, and Christiane Noll.
Notable Works and Milestones
Burtka’s signature works include his Broadway runs in Gypsy and It Shoulda Been You, his recurring role as Scooter on How I Met Your Mother, and his film appearances in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, Annie and the Gypsy, and Dance-Off. His 2001 Clarence Derwent Award stands as a defining early-career honor.
David Burtka Award Nominations
David Michael Burtka has been recognized by industry peers during his career for his work on stage and screen. Verified nominations tied to his acting work are reflected in the awards he has received, including the Clarence Derwent Award for his performance in The Play About the Baby.
David Burtka Awards Won
David Michael Burtka won the 2001 Clarence Derwent Award for most promising male performer for his role as The Boy in the American premiere of Edward Albee’s The Play About the Baby. The Clarence Derwent Award is presented annually to promising young performers working on New York City stages.
David Burtka Family
David Michael Burtka is the son of Daniel Burtka and Deborah A. Zajas. His mother passed away in 2008. He is of Polish descent and grew up alongside family in the Canton, Michigan, area.
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 those children, Burtka helped raise them during his relationship with Janger and has remained close to them following their split.
Personal Life
David Michael Burtka has been in a relationship with actor Neil Patrick Harris since April 2004. In October 2010, the couple became parents to twins, Harper and Gideon, who were born via a surrogate mother. Following the passage of New York’s Marriage Equality Act on June 24, 2011, Burtka and Harris announced their engagement, revealing that they had proposed to each other five years earlier and kept the engagement private until same-sex marriage became legal in their state. They married in Italy in September 2014.