is a Canadian-American actress well known for her starring roles as Robin Scherbatsky in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother and as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.
Early Life and Background
Born Jacoba Francisca Maria Smulders in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on April 3, 1982, she has dual Canadian and American citizenship. She initially considered a career in marine biology before pursuing modeling and then acting.
Career Highlights
Smulders gained prominence with her role in How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014). She is also known for playing Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in several films and TV series, including The Avengers (2012) and Secret Invasion (2023).
Other notable roles include the crime drama Stumptown (2019-2020), portraying Ann Coulter in Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021), co-starring in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016), and voicing Wonder Woman in The Lego Movie (2014). She also made her Broadway debut in Present Laughter in 2017.
Personal Life
Smulders married actor Taran Killam in 2012, and they have two daughters. In 2015, she revealed she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2007 and was in remission as of 2019.
Personal Life and Family
She is married to actor and comedian Taran Killam. They started dating in the mid-2000s and became engaged in January 2009. They married on September 8, 2012, at the Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort in Solvang, California, with guests including her How I Met Your Mother co-stars.
The couple has two daughters:
-
- A second daughter (often referred to in reports as a “son” initially, but later clarified as a daughter, Janita Mae), born in January 2015.
Smulders and Killam are known for keeping their family life relatively private and are still happily married. The couple’s home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, was destroyed by a wildfire in January 2025.
Regarding her dating history, Smulders has generally maintained a private stance. Her relationship with Killam began before her public announcement of her cancer diagnosis and subsequent rise to global fame, and there is little publicly available information about significant past boyfriends or relationships before Killam.
Health Status (Ovarian Cancer)
Smulders was diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer in 2007 at the age of 25, while filming the third season of How I Met Your Mother. The cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and surrounding tissues, and she underwent multiple surgeries over two years to remove the tumors.
She kept her diagnosis private for years, only revealing it publicly in a 2015 issue of Women’s Health magazine to raise awareness. As of August 2019, she confirmed she is in remission, though she has expressed that she doesn’t think she will “ever feel like I’m cancer-free” due to the fear of recurrence, which is common with ovarian cancer. She has become a vocal advocate for ovarian cancer awareness and early detection, emphasizing listening to one’s body and seeking medical advice.
Recent Movies and Projects
Smulders has remained active in film and television: Sharp Corner
(2024): A thriller film starring Smulders and Ben Foster, released in May 2025 in select theaters and on VOD.
Easy’s Waltz
(2025): A film by Nic Pizzolatto.
Jill Takes a Break
(Upcoming)Announced in May 2025, a comedic drama in which she will star opposite Thomas Sadoski.
Secret Invasion
(2023): She reprised her role as Maria Hill in this Disney+ Marvel miniseries.
Shrinking
(2023-2024)She appeared in a recurring role in the Apple TV+ series.
How I Met Your Father
(2022): She had a guest appearance as Robin Scherbatsky in the spin-off series.
Net Worth
While net worth can fluctuate, various sources estimate Cobie Smulders’ net worth to be around $25 million as of late 2024/early 2025, accumulated through her long-running TV roles (HIMYM, Stumptown) and extensive work within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Awards and Nominations
Smulders has received several nominations throughout her career, but has not won major competitive awards like an Emmy or Golden Globe as of yet. Her notable nominations include:
- Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for
(2013).
- People’s Choice Awards for Favorite TV Duo (with Neil Patrick Harris) and Favorite TV Actress categories.
- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for her voice work in
(2023).
- Various nominations for the casts of the Marvel films for ensemble performances.
