The pictures that Barney shows of his daughter Ellie are actual pictures of Neil Patrick Harris' real life daughter Harper Burtka-Harris who he shares with husband David Burtka.
In one of Barney's schemes, he pretends to be a mannequin who comes to life and falls in love. This is the plot of Mannequin (1987) in which Kim Cattrall (future Sophie) portrays a mannequin who comes to life and falls in love.
Sophie mentions she pictured her dad being Bryan Cranston from Malcolm in the Middle. Bryan Cranston appears in the original HIMYM as Hammond Druthers, Ted's boss.