The main cast of How I Met Your Mother is:
- Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby, the protagonist of the series who is telling his children the story of how he met their mother.
- Jason Segel as Marshall Eriksen, Ted’s best friend since college and eventual lawyer husband of Lily Aldrin.
- Cobie Smulders as Robin Scherbatsky, a Canadian news reporter who is initially Ted’s best friend and eventual love interest.
- Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson, another of Ted’s close friends who is a notorious womanizer with a penchant for suits and elaborate schemes.
- Alyson Hannigan as Lily Aldrin, Marshall’s longtime girlfriend and eventual wife, who is an art teacher with dreams of becoming an artist herself.
- Cristin Milioti (although not appearing until the later seasons) as Tracy McConnell, the titular “Mother” whom Ted eventually meets.