10 Best Performances In How I Met Your Mother
9. Frances Conroy - Loretta Stinson
Frances Conroy is one of the best actresses to ever appear on How I Met Your Mother, having entertained TV audiences for years in the likes of American Horror Story, Six Feet Under and Desperate Housewives, as well as having a hand in such celebrated films as Scent of a Woman (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and Joker (2019).
In HIMYM, Conroy portrays Loretta Stinson, the single mother of Barney. Appearing in nine episodes between seasons four and nine, Loretta proves to be one of the show's most complex characters. Initially seen as almost neglectful of Barney and his brother, she soon proves to be much more than meets the eye, just like her son.
A single mother who spent her life raising two sons from two different fathers, it's made clear throughout her short tenure on the show that she's actually a deeply caring woman who only ever wanted the best for her kids, protecting them from the fathers they never had. Thanks to Conroy's sensitive performance and general approachability, this is easily bought, but also allows the actress to offer up some of the show's funniest zingers when they're least expected.