Personal details
- Birth Date: 1982-04-03
- Height: 5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- Birth Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Children: (2 children) Shaelyn Killam
- Professions: Actress, Producer, Soundtrack
Cobie Smulders—yeah, the one who somehow looks exactly the same in every decade—showed up in Vancouver, British Columbia on April 3, 1982, with a Dutch dad and an English mom. Growing up, she was all about science—wanted to be a doctor, maybe a marine biologist. But life, as it loves to do, threw her a curveball in high school when she started acting in school plays. That’s when the acting bug bit, hard. Teenage Cobie gets scouted by a modeling agency—next thing you know, she’s hopping around France, Japan, Italy, Greece, Germany. Sounds glamorous, right? But she’s not just striking poses; she hustles her way through high school and graduates with honors in 2000. Not too shabby for someone living out of a suitcase half the time. Right after graduation, she keeps rolling with the modeling gigs, but the acting itch doesn’t let up. Auditions start rolling in, and she doesn’t waste time—lands guest spots on Special Unit 2 and Jeremiah, plus a short film called Candy from Strangers with another Canadian up-and-comer, Eric Johnson. Those early gigs? Just the warm-up. Her real break comes fast—she nabs the role of Juliet Droil in Veritas: The Quest on ABC in 2003. First major TV series. Suddenly, she’s not just the model who acts—she’s got legit acting chops, and casting directors are paying attention. Literally the start of something big.
Back in 2007, she got hit with some brutal news: ovarian cancer. Not just a little scare either—tumors on both sides and the whole thing had already started creeping into her lymph nodes and nearby tissue. Honestly, it was a mess. The next couple of years? Pure chaos. She went through surgery after surgery, doctors trying to get every last bit of the cancer out. In the end, she was left with just a third of one ovary. The doctors gave her that classic “you’ll never have kids” speech. Pretty bleak, right? But life had other plans. Fast forward, and she totally proved them wrong—she and Taran Killam ended up having not one, but two daughters. Sometimes, science and doctors just miss the mark, and something wild and hopeful happens instead. Her story’s got all those big swings: heartbreak, grit, and a surprise happy ending nobody saw coming.
So Cobie Smulders, who played Robin Scherbatsky on “How I Met Your Mother,” totally called out Tim Hortons for giving Jason Priestley his own doughnut but snubbing her iconic Canadian pop star alter-ego, Robin Sparkles. She was pretty salty about it in this interview, joking that she deserved her own doughnut too. I mean, come on—Robin Sparkles is practically a national treasure. She even had ideas for them: just toss some sparkles on top, make it flashy, you know? It’s honestly wild they didn’t jump on that. The whole thing is kind of hilarious, but also, she’s got a point. If anyone from that show deserved a sugary tribute, it’s the girl who sang “Let’s Go to the Mall.” Tim Hortons really missed a golden opportunity for a fun crossover. Maybe someday, they’ll come to their senses and finally give Robin Sparkles her due. Until then, it’s just a bummer for fans.
April 3, 1982
5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Yes, Shaelyn Killam
43 years old