Hulu’s upcoming How I Met Your Mother spinoff, called How I Met Your Father, is getting a big casting change, and leading lady Hilary Duff has shared a look behind-the-scenes as the series begins shooting. God Friended Me’s Brandon Micheal Hall is officially out of the series, and will be replaced by Daniel Augustin from David Makes Man.
According to TV Insider, Brandon Micheal Hall had to exit due to scheduling conflicts. Daniel Augustin is now set to play Hilary Duff’s Tinder match Ian, who is handsome, smart and funny. Since the show is in the very early stages of filming, hopefully not much had to be rearranged for the sake of production. It is a shame that Hall didn’t even get a chance to be in How I Met Your Father. Hopefully if his scheduling allows him, perhaps he could make an appearance as a recurring character. And Augustin could be a great replacement.
Meanwhile in the midst of the casting switch, Hilary Duff, fresh off her experience with COVID-19, took to Instagram to share a look at filming as it finally starts. She officially introduces fans to her character, Sophie, who is sitting at a bar that will likely be her and her friend’s hangout spot, much like how McGee’s Pub was the spot in How I Met Your Mother. Take a look:
The Younger actress isn’t the only one posting first day pictures. The official HIMYF account on Instagram made sure to tell followers that filming has begun, and shared plenty of behind-the-scenes photos. The spinoff will take place in the near future, as Hilary Duff’s Sophie retells the story of how she met her kids’ father in 2021. Besides Duff and Daniel Augustin, the cast includes Chris Lowell, Francia Raisa, Suraj Sharma, Tien Tran and Tom Ainsley.
A few weeks ago, Hilary Duff shared a behind-the-scene picture of her and her co-stars holding up scripts, but didn't reveal any of the actual sets featured in her newest post. Not too long after, Duff was revealed to have tested positive for COVID-19, which explains why they are just now finally starting to film. Since she is the lead, it would presumably be difficult to film around her, especially at the beginning of a series.
Fans of How I Met Your Mother may have been nervous about this new spinoff, considering this isn’t the first time one has been attempted. But with a cast as strong as this one, it looks like How I Met Your Father could become a hit. Since it is reportedly taking place in the same universe as HIMYM, perhaps we can expect appearances from OG characters. While some of the cast have spoken out about a spinoff or reboot, others are not so fond of the idea, so it’s hard to tell. Though it looks like the new cast is doing just fine on their own.
