Cobie Smulders and Taran Killam's Relationship Timeline

As a star of How I Met Your Mother, Cobie Smulders knows a thing or two about fictional long-winded romance stories — but her relationship with husband Taran Killam has a sweet story of its own.

After meeting at a birthday party in 2005, the couple got married seven years later in 2012.

The actress and the Saturday Night Live alum’s relationship dates back to their early 20s. During a 2019 appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan, Smulders told Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest that the “magic with Killam happened 14 years ago. We’ve been together since we were 22 years young.”

“We were babies and we survived our 20s together,” she added. “I don’t know how that’s possible, but we did. It’s crazy.”

Smulders and Killam are now parents to daughters Shaelyn Cado and Janita Mae. The Stumptown star spoke to SheKnows in 2017 about how parenthood changed the pair's priorities and work-life balance.

“It’s really about putting the girls first and having to be a bit choosy about work now and doing jobs that you only really want to do … But always, in every decision I make, my daughters come first, whether that’s a work decision or a life decision, and that’s the same with my husband too," Smulders said at the time.

One role in particular that Smulders has taken on since becoming a mom is playing Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “In terms of being in these movies, I will say that my husband, I think, finds me more attractive than ever,” she said at a screening of Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2020. “He’s a comic fan. That’s his world — he loves it.”

From how they met to their Marvel date nights, here is everything to know about Cobie Smulders and Taran Killam's relationship.

The Hollywood couple met at a friend’s birthday party in 2005. “We were 22, the friend was turning 30, so we were like, ‘This chick is super old. Whoa,’ ” Smulders recalled during an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan in 2019. “We met and got along and he thought that I was also 30. So it was a really funny meeting of like, ‘When were you born?' ”

While Smulders was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when she was 25, she did not reveal her diagnosis until a 2015 issue of Women’s Health.

“For me at the time, I just wanted to deal with it on my own and with my family,” she later explained to PEOPLE in 2018. “I wasn’t interested in sharing it with anybody. It doesn’t really benefit the world until now, when I can say, ‘This is what I went through and I survived it. These are the things I did and these are the things I learned and these are the things I can show you.’ Before it just felt like something I want to deal with myself.”

After being diagnosed, Smulders was fearful she would not be able to have children and went on a deep-dive Google search on what she could do to help herself. Her search led her to “very bleak” results, underscoring that there were not enough resources to help at the time. Regardless, she tried everything from cutting out cheese and carbohydrates to yoga and crystal healers. Thankfully, the actress’ oncologist helped her get into remission and save enough of her ovaries for her to have two kids.

Smulders’ rep confirmed exclusively to PEOPLE that the actress and her then-boyfriend Killam were expecting their first child together, due the following spring.

Smulders confirmed to PEOPLE in early 2009 that she and Killam were engaged. When asked if the sparkler on her left hand was an engagement ring, she said, “Yes, it is.” The HIMYM star revealed that Killam had popped the question over the holidays. While she didn’t divulge specifics about the proposal since “that’s personal,” Smulders did share that “it was very romantic.”

Smulders and Killam became parents with the arrival of their daughter Shaelyn Cado Killam on May 16, 2009.

During an appearance on The Bonnie Hunt Show in 2010, Smulders discussed her daughter’s unique name. “My full name is Jacoba Francisca Maria Smulders, that’s a mouthful!” Smulders laughed. “Hopefully she won’t be teased too much. I went with it because I liked Shay and I had never really heard it before.”

The longtime couple tied the knot at the Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort in Solvang, Calif. Prior to their nuptials, Smulders told ET Canada that their daughter Shaelyn was looking forward to the wedding — and the sweets involved. The Marvel star also shared, “She really wants a dress and she wants white shoes.”

PEOPLE confirmed in October 2014 that Smulders -

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was pregnant with the couple's second child, a month after she and Killam celebrated their second wedding anniversary.

And baby makes four! At the Sundance Film Festival in 2015, Smulders revealed that she had recently welcomed her second child, Janita Mae Killam. “I’m in Sundance and I have a 3-week-old baby, so I can certainly relate,” she told Bustle of her movie Unexpected, in which she plays a pregnant teacher. “It’s my world at the moment, and it’s just so prevalent in the world today. I’m very lucky where I have a great career and a huge support system and not every woman has that. It’s an interesting film because it shows both of those sides.”

Her second daughter even made a brief cameo in the movie, as the actress used her real sonogram during her on-screen ultrasound.

On Aug. 11, 2016, Killam shared a photo of himself and his wife — who was snapped laughing — at work. “The happy couple. Nepotism at work. #WWKG,” he wrote alongside the snapshot. The film Killing Gunther, which was previously titled Why Were Killing Gunther, marked Killam’s directorial debut.

Killam and Smulders starred as the movie's leads, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played the title role.

The Single Parents star was a proud husband as he wrote a heartfelt tribute to his wife ahead of her Broadway debut in Present Laughter in 2017. “I don't normally like to get very personal on social media but tonight is the opening of this woman's Broadway debut. This woman, the kindest, most selfless, most stunning individual with the most educated heart I've ever encountered. She followed me to New York for my work and set a goal for herself,” he wrote alongside a photo of Smulders on Instagram.

Killam continued: “The only specific creative goal I've ever witnessed her commit to: perform in a play on Broadway. In these three years, she has jumped through many hoops; put herself out willingly and vulnerably, while still keeping a priority of being a superb mother and phenomenal partner.” He went on to share how proud he was of her, and thank her for the “honor” of being her husband.

Killam commemorated his wife’s final night in Present Laughter by sharing a sweet photo of himself and Smulders outside of New York’s St. James Theatre. “My wife is my hero. For so many reasons outside of ‘the biz.’ But tonight she closed her Broadway debut,” he captioned the picture. “Congratulations to the most 'alluring' woman I've ever met in my life. I love you.”

Entertainment Weekly reported in March 2019 that the real-life couple would be guest-starring in multiple episodes of Arrested Development. The pair played a younger version of Lucille and George Sr., the show’s matriarch and patriarch, in the second half of season 5.

In June 2019, the Avengers actress dropped by Late Night with Seth Meyers, where she discussed letting her husband, who is a “huge fan,” peek at her Marvel scripts.

“Well, like, he’s only allowed to have sex with one woman, which is me,” Smulders told host Seth Meyers. “So I feel like it’s only fair, that’s the only way I can repay him. I don’t know what I get in return, but I feel like Marvel’s cool with that.”

The actress dubbed Killam "the greatest" as she celebrated his 40th birthday on April 1, 2022. Smulders posted a throwback photo of her husband on Instagram, writing: “This guy is now 40. He is the greatest. Happy Birthday @tarzannoz ❤️.” Smulders also wrote on Instagram days earlier that Killam is “the only one” with whom she would want to share a birthday week.

On April 3 that year, Killam sweetly marked his wife’s own milestone 40th birthday. “I love her more than anything,” the Stuck in the Suburbs actor captioned a photo of Smulders. “Happiest Birthday my love. 40 never looked so good.”

Smulders gave Killam a shout-out on Instagram on Nov. 17, 2023, in honor of the opening night of his Broadway show Spamalot. The actor took on the role of Lancelot in the show's revival at the St. James Theatre. "So proud watching my beloved@tarzannozand the rest of the phenomenal cast of@spamalotbwayin their opening night performance," Smulders wrote alongside a photo of her husband in costume. "It was a magical night. Bravo."

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