Josh Radnor reveals the ‘How I Met Your Mother’ cast has drifted apart after show ended

Josh Radnor has offered a candid update on his relationship with the cast of How I Met Your Mother, revealing that the actors who played the sitcom's central group are no longer particularly close in their everyday lives.

Radnor, who starred as Ted Mosby throughout all nine seasons of the CBS sitcom, addressed the subject during an appearance on the Half the Picture podcast. When host Billy Barnell asked whether he was still as close to Alyson Hannigan, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel and Cobie Smulders as he once was, Radnor answered plainly, "No, no, not even a little bit."

His comments, however, were not presented as evidence of a feud between the former co-stars. Radnor specifically stressed that there was no dramatic falling out and explained that the relationships simply changed after the series concluded. The actor described the cast's connection as something closer to family, shaped by years of working together under unusual circumstances.

Radnor said he still has deep affection for his former co-stars, describing the feeling as "quite deep and rich and probably everlasting", while acknowledging that it is "not an active love". He compared the experience to college, where people can spend years seeing one another constantly before moving into different phases of life after the shared experience ends.

The actor also provided examples of the limited contact he currently has with his former colleagues. He said he and Segel occasionally exchange messages when something reminds them of a funny moment from the set, although he has not seen Segel in a long time. Radnor has also spoken with Smulders through his podcast, while Hannigan attended his wedding to Jordana Jacobs in 2024. He said he had not seen Hannigan since the wedding.

There has been a recent professional reunion involving two members of the cast. Smulders appeared alongside Segel in the Apple TV+ series Shrinking, which Segel stars in and co-created. Segel previously explained that bringing Smulders into the series happened organically after he suggested her for the role.

Radnor has also reconnected with Harris through his podcast How We Made Your Mother. During their conversation, the pair discussed some of the tension they experienced while working on How I Met Your Mother. Radnor described that discussion as fascinating and healing, showing that old working relationships can still be revisited even when regular contact has faded.

The actor believes fans sometimes have difficulty separating the fictional friendship portrayed in How I Met Your Mother from the actors' lives away from the series. Because the sitcom revolved heavily around Ted, Barney, Marshall, Lily and Robin spending time together in New York City, viewers naturally formed an expectation that the performers maintained the same dynamic off screen.

Radnor said fans "really wanna believe" that he, Harris and Segel are still meeting up at bars in New York City. In reality, the actors have pursued separate careers and personal lives since the sitcom ended in 2014.