Cobie Smulders

Biography: This Canadian actress commuted to Hollywood from her Vancouver home before landing a plum part on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. (She credits CBS with helping her obtain a visa.) Prior to this breakout role, she starred on the short-lived Veritas and did a stint on The L Word. In 2012, she took a supporting role in the summer blockbuster The Avengers, playing S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill.