Some How I Met Your Mother fans were skeptical when How I Met Your Father was announced. However, now that the full first season has debuted on Hulu, those that gave it a shot have enjoyed the new, more modern take on the sitcom and are already making predictions for HIMYF season 2.
One of the best things about the How I Met Your Father cast is that it's a well-balanced combination of TV stars fans will recognize and new faces to get excited about. A small handful of characters are even played by actors that a young adult fan base recognizes from childhood shows. Learn more about this amazing cast and where to follow them on Instagram.
Ashley Reyes (12.5 K Followers)
In How I Met Your Father, Ashley Reyes plays Hannah, Sid's fiancée who accepts his proposal in the first episode, the night that Sophie met the father. While Ashley is not new to acting, her career seems to be blowing up. In addition to HIMYF, the cast has appeared in other shows and movies and Reyes recently had a recurring role on American Gods and began one on Walker too.
It makes perfect sense why Ashley was brought into this comedic cast - her Instagram is very funny. She's a comedic caption queen and will not shy away from posting a shot of herself crying as Hannah to promote a new episode dropping on Hulu. Fans of the show can enjoy some behind-the-scenes content she shares as well.
Suraj Sharma (13.3K Followers)
Film fans will recognize Suraj Sharma as Pi Patel from Life of Pi. After doing several films afterward, his career has recently turned to TV. He's been a main character in the dramedy God Friended Me, but HIMYF is his first time leading a sitcom. As Sid, he gives subtle nods to a Marshall Erickson while doing something new and all his own.
Any big How I Met Your Father fan should be following Suraj on Instagram. All of his latest posts center around the show from sharing cast photos that announce the second season, to behind-the-scenes cast photos, promo clips, snippets from the show, and everything in between. He posts beautiful travel pictures too.
Tom Ainsley (17.4K Followers)
Tom Ainsley joins How I Met Your Father as the hilarious Charlie. He seems to add some vague Barney Stinson energy into the bunch by always being dressed nicely due to his English royalty background. However, he is far more classy when it comes to his behavior and very much unlike Barney, he only has eyes for Valentina.
On Instagram, Tom is just as lovable as Charlie. He shares plenty of content about the show, complete with funny captions. Beyond that, he appears to be quite the family man - a proud uncle and brother. He excitedly posts cute baby content from time to time, showing off his nephew.
Tien Tran (28.6K Followers)
Tien Tran is perfectly cast as Ellen in How I Met Your Father. She is a Second City alum who performed on the Chicago Mainstage before moving her career to LA. Fans may have seen her in other TV series including Space Force and the new Candyman. She makes Ellen such a lovable character from the very first episode, and her comedic timing is excellent.
Fans can follow Tien on Instagram for lots of quality content. Much like her castmates, she posts a lot of content about the show itself. From beautiful cast photos to silly on-set pictures and videos of Ellen in action - Tien shares it all. She is also great at acknowledging important days like National Coming Out Day and Lesbian Visibility day with hilarious videos.
Christopher Lowell (100K Followers)
Fans of How I Met Your Father may recognize actor Christopher Lowell from other popular shows like Veronica Mars or GLOW. As Jesse, Christopher gives off some major Ted Mosby vibes with how he handles heartbreak and pines after a woman he hasn't known for very long.
While Sophie is the photographer on the show, Christopher's Instagram makes it very obvious that out of the main cast, he's the one with a passion for photography in real life. Most of the content he posts are beautiful black and white photos, often of his long-time partner, but he photographs a variety of subjects - including his castmates.
Kim Cattrall (1M Followers)
Kim Cattrall made headlines in early 2021 when it was announced that she would not be returning as her beloved character Samantha in And Just Like That... While this may still be a sensitive subject for some Sex And The City fans, the decision has freed Kim up to be the future Sophie in How I Met Your Father - a role she is nailing.
It's nice to see both Sophies next to each other in this recent Instagram post from Kim and it's clear from her feed that she is happy to be on this show, and clearly she adores Hilary Duff. She is also very open and shares sweet photos of her family and friends for her fans to enjoy.
Francia Raísa (1.4M Followers)
While it's not one of the more recent credits in her career, fans of How I Met Your Father currently in their 20s or 30s will likely remember Francia best as the iconic Adrian from the mid-2000s ABC Family drama, The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Now, she is the fun loving, supportive best friend and roommate, Valentina.
Her Instagram makes it apparent that Francia is just as fun as Valentina in real life. When she's not showing off amazing outfits or sharing sweet photos from the show, she posts fun videos of her strutting or dancing, seemingly having the time of her life. No matter what she posts. She's definitely someone that fans of fashion should be following.
Leighton Meester
Any fan who is watching a scene with Meredith on How I Met Your Father and wondering "is that Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl?" will be pleased to know the answer is yes. The actress known as one of TV's most iconic mean girls is back playing a woman who is not mean, but is definitely considered a bit of a villain by the man she rejected in a very public and later viral proposal.
On Instagram, Leighton keeps her fans posted on her latest projects, including the new Netflix movie The Weekend Away. She also frequently posts about charitable causes or shares new books or products she believes in. While she does not seem to have much HIMYF content, there is a lot to enjoy.
Josh Peck (12.8M Followers)
At this number of followers, it must be said that Nickelodeon fans are incredibly loyal. Most fans of How I Met Your Father will recognize Josh Peck from Nickelodeon's Drake and Josh, which was technically a spinoff of The Amanda Show. Now, Josh is all grown up, almost as much as his supporting character Drew, a candidate for the father, who likes to brag about how mature and adult he is.
Josh's Instagram is full of content for fans who have followed his career or may just be discovering him for the first time. His most recent posts are all about his book that just came out, called "Happy People Are Annoying." He even throws bones to Drake and Josh fans with throwbacks like the photo above with former onscreen sister Miranda Cosgrove.
Hilary Duff (20.4M)
Surpassing Josh Peck is the one and only Hilary Duff, perhaps proving that Disney Channel fans are even more loyal than Nickelodeon fans. The same age range of fans that grew up with Drake and Josh and Gossip Girl would have first seen Hilary Duff as the lovable, relatable Lizzie McGuire. Hilary brings the same main character energy to Sophie in How I Met Your Father.
It's clear from Hilary's Instagram feed that she loves working on this show. She shares countless photos from it and expresses her love for it in every caption. Apart from her thriving acting career, she is also a mother of three and shares photos of her precious family and special moments of motherhood regularly.