Cobie Smulders

Jacoba Francisca Maria "Cobie" Smulders (born April 3, 1982) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her starring role as Robin Scherbatsky in the CBS series How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014) and as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero franchise, starting with the film The Avengers, through the television miniseries Secret Invasion (2023).

Smulders' other films include Safe Haven (2013), The Lego Movie franchise (2014–2019), Results (2015), The Intervention (2016), and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016). She also starred in the Netflix comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017), the Netflix comedy series Friends from College (2017–2019), the ABC crime drama series Stumptown (2019–2020), and the FX true crime series Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021).

Smulders made her theater debut in the off-Broadway production of the Nora Ephron play Love, Loss, and What I Wore in 2010. She then made her Broadway debut in the revival of the Noël Coward comedy Present Laughter (2017) earning a Theater World Award.

Early life and education Smulders was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, to a Dutch father and a British mother. She was raised in White Rock, British Columbia, and later moved to the affluent West Point Grey neighbourhood to attend high school at Lord Byng Secondary School. She was named after her great-aunt, from whom she gained the nickname "Cobie". Smulders describes herself as "a fluent listener" of French. Smulders was also a member of the Girl Guides of Canada as a child, participating as a Brownie (Girl Guide program for 7- to 10-year-olds). In her youth, Smulders aspired to be a marine biologist. She took an interest in theatre throughout high school and briefly studied at the University of Victoria before returning to acting.

Career 2002–2016: Early roles and breakthrough

Smulders made her professional acting debut in 2002, with guest appearances in the UPN science fiction comedy series Special Unit 2 and the Showtime science fiction drama series Jeremiah. She subsequently made multiple appearances on television, including in the Fox supernatural drama series Tru Calling (2003), the WB superhero series Smallville (2003), and the Global space opera series Andromeda (2005). Smulders' first role as a series regular was in the short-lived 2003 ABC adventure drama series Veritas: The Quest, which ran for one season. She made her film debut in 2004 with a supporting role in the action film Walking Tall. She then had a supporting role in the 2005 comedy film The Long Weekend. That same year, she had a recurring role as Leigh Ostin in the Showtime drama series The L Word.

In 2005, Smulders was cast as television reporter and former teen pop star Robin Scherbatsky in the CBS series How I Met Your Mother. The series concluded in 2014 after nine seasons, winning ten Emmy Awards throughout its run. For her performance, she garnered wide recognition and earned a People's Choice Award nomination. In 2009, she appeared in the comedy film The Slammin' Salmon. She then appeared in the 2010 pilot episode of the HBO comedy-drama series How to Make It in America. In June 2010, Smulders made her off-Broadway debut in Delia and Nora Ephron's play Love, Loss, and What I Wore at the Westside Theatre. She went on to star in the 2012 political comedy film Grassroots.

Smulders gained further recognition for starring as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, beginning with the 2012 superhero action film The Avengers. She received training from a Los Angeles SWAT team trainer to handle guns to portray the character. Smulders reprised the role in three episodes of the ABC superhero television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2015), and in the films Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019). In 2013, she appeared in an episode of the comedy series Comedy Bang! Bang!. Smulders also starred in the romantic drama Safe Haven (2013), the comedy-drama Delivery Man (2013) and the romantic comedy They Came Together (2014). Smulders voiced a Lego version of Wonder Woman in the 2014 animated film The Lego Movie. It was the first time the Wonder Woman character had a theatrical film appearance.

In July 2015, she was reported to have exited the television film Confirmation because she had broken her leg; Zoe Lister-Jones was then confirmed to replace her in the role of Harriet Grant. In 2015, Smulders starred in the drama film Unexpected and the romantic comedy Results. She also appeared in the documentary film Being Canadian and guest starred in the NBC variety series Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris. In 2016, she appeared in the comedy-drama The Intervention starring Melanie Lynskey, Natasha Lyonne, and Alia Shawkat as well as the action adventure film Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, the latter opposite Tom Cruise. Smulders had guest voice roles in the HBO animated series Animals (2016) and the PBS Kids animated series Nature Cat (2017–2018).

Since 2017: Broadway debut and other roles In 2017 she made her Broadway debut portraying Joanna Lyppiatt in the revival of Noël Coward's comedy Present Laughter opposite Kevin Kline. Marilyn Stasio of Variety praised Smulders in the role writing, "Smulders has a graceful, Cowardian air in the role, and makes Susan Hilferty’s costumes look even more fabulous." David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Smulders looks sensational; she’s the epitome of late-’30s elegance...she carries herself with poise and assurance". For her performance she was honored with a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway debut. Her performance was filmed with Great Performances and shown on PBS.

Also in 2017, she portrayed the recurring character of "Mother", also known as Mrs. Quagmire, in the Netflix black comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events, based on the book series of the same name. That same year, she appeared in the comedy films Literally, Right Before Aaron and Killing Gunther. From 2017 to 2019, she starred in the Netflix comedy series Friends from College, in the main role of Lisa Turner. In 2018, she starred in the lead role of Joanne Skye in the comedy-drama film Songbird, also alternatively titled Alright Now. The film was improvised, and shot in the course of five days. She then reprised her role as Wonder Woman in the 2019 animated sequel film The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.

In 2019, she guest starred as Young Lucille Bluth in three episodes of the Netflix sitcom Arrested Development and appeared in an episode of the HBO anthology series Room 104. She also starred as Dexedrine "Dex" Parios, a PTSD-stricken military veteran turned private detective, in the ABC crime drama series Stumptown, which premiered on September 25, 2019, to positive reviews. She received a Critics' Choice Super Award for Best Actress in a Superhero Series nomination for her performance. The series was cancelled after one season due to production delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (It had originally been renewed for a second season). In 2020, Smulders starred in the romantic drama film Cicada and voiced a guest appearance in the Fox animated sitcom The Simpsons.

In 2021, she portrayed media pundit Ann Coulter in the FX true crime anthology series Impeachment: American Crime Story, which received positive reviews from critics. That same year, she had a voice role as Maria Hill in the Disney+ animated anthology series What If...?. In 2022, she reprised her role of Robin Scherbatsky in the first season finale of the HIMYM spinoff How I Met Your Father, which aired on Hulu. Also in 2022, she starred in the Amazon Freevee coming-of-age drama series High School, based on the 2019 memoir of the same name by Tegan and Sara.

In 2023, Smulders reprised her role as Maria Hill, voicing the character in the Disney Channel animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and appearing in the Disney+ limited series Secret Invasion.

Personal life Smulders became engaged to Taran Killam in January 2009 after meeting him at a mutual friend's party four years earlier. They married on September 8, 2012, in Solvang, California. They have two daughters. In January 2025, Smulders and Killam's home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles was destroyed by a wildfire.

In 2015, Smulders revealed she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer at age 25, while shooting season three of How I Met Your Mother in 2007. She had surgery to remove two tumors from her ovaries, but the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, resulting in the need for multiple operations over the course of two years. In August 2019, Smulders revealed she is in remission.

In 2020, Smulders announced that she had become an American citizen, while still retaining her Canadian citizenship. She stated that part of her motivation to become an American citizen was the right to vote in the 2020 presidential election.

She is a fan of the Vancouver Canucks.

Charity work Smulders filmed a public service announcement with Oceana, an international ocean-conservation organization, in 2014. In May 2020, she released a clip parodying "Let's Go to the Mall", a song her character performed on How I Met Your Mother, titled "Let's All Stay at Home", to encourage the public to enforce COVID-19 lockdowns. Smulders also encouraged fans to donate to Save the Children, Canada Helps and the Daily Bread Food Bank amidst the pandemic.

Filmography Film

Year Title Role Notes 2004 Walking Tall Exotic Beauty 2005 The Long Weekend Ellen 2009 The Slammin' Salmon Tara 2012 The Avengers Maria Hill Grassroots Clair 2013 Safe Haven Carly Jo Wheatley Delivery Man Emma 2014 The Lego Movie Wonder Woman / Diana PrinceVoice They Came Together Tiffany Amber Thigpen Captain America: The Winter Soldier Maria Hill 2015 Unexpected Samantha Abbot Results Kat Avengers: Age of Ultron Maria Hill Being Canadian Herself Documentary 2016 The Intervention Ruby Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Major Susan Turner 2017 Literally, Right Before Aaron Allison Killing Gunther Lisa McCalla 2018 Avengers: Infinity War Maria Hill Uncredited cameo; post-credits scene Songbird Joanne Skye 2019 The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part Wonder Woman / Diana Prince Voice Avengers: Endgame Maria Hill Cameo Spider-Man: Far From Home 2020 Cicada Sophie 2024 Sharp Corner Rachel 2025 Easy's Waltz Monica

Television

Year Title Role Notes 2002 Special Unit 2 Zoe 1 episode Jeremiah Deborah 1 episode 2003 Tru Calling Sarah Webb 1 episode Veritas: The Quest Juliet Droil Main role, 13 episodes 2004 Smallville Shannon Bell / Eve Andrews 1 episode 2005 Andromeda Jillian Rhade 2 episodes The L Word Leigh Ostin 4 episodes 2005–2014 How I Met Your Mother Robin Scherbatsky Main role, 208 episodes 2010 How to Make It in America Hayley 1 episode 2013 Comedy Bang! Bang! Herself 1 episode 2013–2015 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Maria Hill 3 episodes 2015 Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris Herself 1 episode 2016 Animals. Anni Voice role, 1 episode 2017 A Series of Unfortunate Events Mrs. Quagmire Recurring role, 8 episodes 2017–2018 Nature Cat Nature Dog Voice role, 4 episodes 2017–2019 Friends from College Lisa Turner Main role, 16 episodes 2019 Arrested Development Young Lucille Bluth 3 episodes Room 104 Marian Wallace 1 episode 2019–2020 Stumptown Dexadrine "Dex" Parios Main role, 18 episodes; also producer 2020 The Simpsons Hydrangea Voice role, 1 episode 2021 Impeachment: American Crime Story Ann Coulter Recurring role, 5 episodes 2021–2023 What If...? Maria Hill Voice role, 2 episodes 2022 How I Met Your Father Robin Scherbatsky 1 episode The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib Stella Chimeric Voice role, 1 episode High School Simone Bates Main role, 8 episodes 2023 Secret Invasion Maria Hill Miniseries, 1 episode 2023–2025 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Voice role, 6 episodes 2024 Accused Val Pierce 1 episode 2024–present Shrinking Sofi Recurring role, 5 episodes 2025 Super Team Canada Niagara Falls / Joan Shoop Main role, Voice role How Not To DrawAnimatorEpisode: "How Not To Draw: Perry The Platypus" 2026The Lincoln Lawyer Allison J. Haller1 episodeBig City GreensScientistEpisode:"Fitness Test"

Video game

Audio drama

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 2010 Love, Loss, and What I Wore Principal character June 10, 2010 – June 26, 2010 Westside Theatre 2017 Present Laughter Joanna Lyppiatt April 5, 2017 – July 2, 2017 St. James Theatre

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2013 EWwy Award Best Supporting Actress – Comedy How I Met Your Mother 2014 People's Choice Award Favorite TV Gal Pals (shared with Alyson Hannigan) How I Met Your Mother 2017 Theatre World Award Present Laughter 2021 Critics' Choice Super Awards Best Actress in a Superhero Series Stumptown