How I Met Your Father is a spinoff of How I Met Your Mother and updates the original series into the internet age. Starring Hilary Duff, the comedy follows a group of millennials as they navigate love, life and finding themselves in New York City. In a sea of endless dating apps and digital options, this show is about a group of people coming together to find what they really want out of life.
How I Met Your Father is the third attempt at a spinoff for HIMYM after the 2014 pilot (starring Greta Gerwig) did not get picked up by CBS and rewrites fell through. This time around, the show was ordered to a 10 episode series by Hulu. Written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, the duo behind shows like This Is Us and Love, Victor. Here is a list of whom you should know in How I Met Your Father!
Sophie (Hilary Duff)
Sophie is an upbeat and bubbly millennial who is looking for love in 2022 New York City. She is an events photographer whose heart is set on street photography. Sophie has gone on 87 first dates from Tinder that have gone nowhere, until she comes across Ian. The two finally meet after loads of back and forth texting, but Sophie is left heartbroken when reveals that he has to leave for Australia for work. Sophie is melodramatic, earnest, and unabashedly plays Drops of Jupiter by Train every time something sad happens to her. 2050 Future Sophie is played by Kim Cattral, who narrates with a coy smile and glass of wine always in hand.
Hilary Duff’s first major breakthrough role was as Wendy in Casper Meets Wendy. She later shot up to tween stardom as Lizzie McGuire in the Disney Channel TV Show of the same name. Hilary also starred in movies such as: Cadet Kelly, Cheaper By the Dozen, A Cinderella Story, and The Lizzie McGuire Movie among others. Besides acting, she also has released various music albums including: Metamorphosis, Hilary Duff, Dignity, and more. More recently, Hilary was the star of the TV show Younger.
Valentina (Francia Raisa)
Supportive and fun, Valentina is Sophie’s BFF and roommate. She is Sophie’s biggest cheerleader and #1 fan. Valentina is a fan of Jane Fonda aerobics videos and is always up for whatever scheme Sophie has planned.
Valentina is portrayed by Francia Raisa who some may recognize as Adrian Lee from the TV show, The Secret Life of the American Teenager. She also appeared in the film Bring It On: All or Nothing and guest starred in the second season of Degrassi: The Next Generation. In 2017, Francia made headlines after donating one of her kidney’s to her friend, Selena Gomez. Currently, Francia also plays Analisa "Ana" Patricia Torres on the TV show Grown-ish.
Jesse (Christopher Lowell)
Jesse is a part-time music teacher and Uber driver in NYC. He is jaded by love and vows to never get married after his ex rejected his very public marriage proposal. His rejection went viral, and he was renamed as Mr. Proposal Fail by the internet. He meets Sophie when he is her Uber driver the night that she meets Ian. Jesse is skeptical of Sophie’s views on love and keeps his own heart guarded close to his chest. He is a little cynical and is always ready to jump into any convo with a quick one liner. Like Sophie, he is also a Drops of Jupiter fan, but uses it as his comfort song.
Christopher Lowell is no stranger to the silver screen. Before HIMYF he co-starred in shows like Life As We Know It, Veronica Mars, Private Practice, and Glow. He has also been part of the cast of movies like Promising Young Woman, The Help, and Up In The Air.
Sid (Suraj Sharma)
Sid is Jesse’s right-hand man and roommate. They live in Ted’s (Josh Radnor) old apartment from How I Met Your Mother. On the night he meets Sophie, he gets engaged to his long distance girlfriend, Hannah (Ashley Reyes) who he has been together with since grad school. Sid is the new owner of a bar and tries to support Jesse to get himself back into the dating scene.
Sid is played by Suraj Sharma who made his acting debut as Pi Patel in Ang Lee’s Life of Pi. In 2012, he was nominated for a BAFTA Rising Star award. Since then, he has appeared in shows like Homeland and God Friended Me. Suraj has also been in movies like Happy Death Day 2U and the 2019 film, The Illegal.
Charlie (Tom Ainsley)
Charlie is Valentina’s British boyfriend who moved to New York to be with her. Charlie is used to living the pampered life of a UK socialite and as a result, can sometimes come off as snobbish. He’s not used to city life in NYC, but makes an effort to be more accepting of his new home. He moves out of Valentina and Sophie’s apartment after realizing that he is moving too fast
Best known for his roles in The Royals and Versailles, Tom Ainsley has also performed in a variety of performances for the stage.
Ellen (Tien Tran)
Recently divorced and ready to mingle, Ellen is Jesse’s sister. After separating from her wife, she is ready to throw herself back in the dating scene. On a night out with the group and hits on various women. While she fails to get any phone numbers, she’s happy she made the attempt.
Tien Tran is a comedian, writer, and actor. She played Jane Ji in 2021’s Candyman, Shiela in Space Force and has also done some voiceover work as Alix in the show Q-Force. Other shows she has been part of include: Hot Date and South Side. Tien is a staff writer for the HBO show, Written In Progress and was an executive producer for the 2021 ViacomCBS Sketch Comedy Showcase.
How I Met Your Father is now streaming on Hulu.