Seasoned film, TV actress adds Broadway to her list
NEW YORK — When Cobie Smulders moved to New York three years ago, she had a darn good reason . . . and a goal.
After shooting the final season of “How I Met Your Mother,” she was finally able to live full time in the same ZIP code as her husband, Taran Killam (then a star of “Saturday Night Live”). And she wanted to make it to Broadway.
Now she can cross that goal off her bucket list, with her Broadway debut last month in Noel Coward’s “Present Laughter,” a sharp, sophisticated comedy starring Kevin Kline as an aging actor who juggles the ladies, from his ex (the estimable Kate Burton) to his buddy’s wife (Smulders). The critically acclaimed show runs through July 2 at the St. James Theatre.
After that, Smulders, Killam and their two daughters will move back to Los Angeles, traveling by recreational vehicle. A Vancouver native, Smulders has appeared in the Marvel Comics “Avengers” film franchise and will be seen alongside Killam in “Why We’re Killing Gunther.”
Smulders, 35, talked recently about her career.
“Present Laughter” seems the perfect way for you to move from screen to stage — it’s an ensemble piece, just like “How I Met Your Mother.”
I started out doing theater in high school. I gravitated to television and film, but I’ve always wanted to get onstage. At the start, it was such a luxury to have a month of rehearsals — a chance to tweak things, throw things out, revamp, with amazing performers. In film, you’re lucky if you meet everybody before you’re in front of the camera with them.
Is working with Kevin Kline a nice perk?
It’s a spoil of riches. Not only is it amazing to be onstage with him every night, but it’s also always different. He’s so talented.
How tough was it to perfect the British accent?
Having small children helps. Reading nighttime stories over and over and over — I mean, I rock that out each night if I’m home, with a full-on British accent. So I know every day I’m practicing the accent for at least an hour. And luckily — for me — my mother’s British . . . so it’s always been in my world, that type of voice.
And are you really going to head back to Los Angeles in an RV?
Oh, yeah. We’re doing it. I’m excited. When you’re young, road trips can be boring and monotonous but there’s something that’s so … I don’t know … familiar? Nostalgic? I don’t remember having a blast sitting in the back seat of my parents’ car. I’m sure I was wishing I had a Game Boy. But for me, more than ever now, I’m realizing I live in a bubble. I like my bubble. It’s safe and has like-minded people, but I’d like to see what the rest of the country is like.