Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S., and grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico. His parents, Sheila H. and Ron Harris, were lawyers. He has an older brother, and it was by following his brother to an audition in fourth grade that he first began acting – as Toto in a school production of The Wizard of Oz. He attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque and was active in school plays Read more...

Harris began his career as a child actor. His first significant roles came in 1988, when he starred in two movies: the film Clara's Heart, a drama with Whoopi Goldberg that won him a Golden Globe nomination, and Purple People Eater, a children's fantasy. The following year he won the lead in Doogie Howser, M.D., for which he was again nominated for a Golden Globe. After Doogie Howser's four-season Read more...

In November 2006, after a report about Harris' romantic relationship with actor David Burtka surfaced on www.Canada.com, Harris came out publicly in People. He had been openly gay in his personal life and in the theater community, but stated, "[T]he public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest Read more...