Jason Segel on Reuniting withHIMYMCostar Cobie Smulders onShrinking— and Facing 'Tough S---' Together in Their 'Most Formative Years'

Mar. 15, 2025

Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders.Photo:Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty; Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty; Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty

Jason SegelandCobie Smuldersgo way back!

Shortly after reuniting with hisHow I Met Your Mothercostar inShrinkingseason 2, Segel, 44, toldVarietythat having the opportunity to share the screen with Smulders, 42, again “was a dream.”

“We did nine years ofHow I Met Your Motherand that was never part of the Marshall/Robin dynamic so it was this gap in our acting experience together,” the actor said of their belovedHIMYMcharacters.

(L-R) Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders on ‘How I Met Your Mother’.Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty

Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty

When it comes to Smulders' cameo on the Dec. 11 episode ofShrinking, Segel said, “I think the reason people are reacting to it, the reason it feels like, ‘Oh, I would like to see them together again’ is this is a scene where two people are meeting for the first time, but you’re supposed to have some other sense of, ‘Whoa, what’s going on there?’”

The actor described their reunion as a full circle moment and called their return on screen “so cool.”

“I think what is going on there, which is so cool and how acting works, is that we knew each other for 10 years in our most formative years, through thick and thin and becoming who you are,” he explained. “And then to be standing across from each other as full-grown adults saying, ‘Look at us still here, still standing.’”

(L-R) Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders, and Neil Patrick Harris.Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty

Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty

He added that both theirShrinkingcharacters, Jimmy (Segel) and Sofi (Smulders) have “been through some tough times,” not unlike their real-life selves.

From 2005 to 2014, Segel and Smulders starred as Marshall and Robin, respectively, on the hit CBS sitcom for nine seasons.

(L) Cobie Smulders and Jason Segel in ‘Shrinking’.Courtesy of Apple

Courtesy of Apple

Calling herself “lucky” getting to be a part of the show, Smulders says: “I just got a call from [creator] Bill Lawrence about it. I don’t know how involved Jason was in putting it together behind the scenes, but I was so happy.”

“First of all, I’m such a huge fan of the show,” she continues. “It’s such a beautiful show, and it was such an honor to be able to come into this amazing cast and play for a couple of scenes. Like what an absolute dream! And then also, I get to work with Jason again, which I very much miss doing.”

Smulders also said that the vibe of working alongside Segel again “immediately” felt like it was “one of my buddies,” adding, “The show is so well written, and when anyone comes into a project and the character is already alive from the script, it makes everything so easy.”

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source: people.com