Cobie Smulders Reveals Hilarious Whisper Trick That Left Josh Radnor Speechless Before Love Scenes

Cobie Smulders revealed a unique and risqué tactic she used to prepare her How I Met Your Mother co-star Josh Radnor for their on-screen intimate moments. On the May 19 episode of the How We Made Your Mother podcast, Smulders shared that she would often whisper extremely inappropriate comments to Radnor just before the cameras rolled. This unorthodox method was Smulders’ humorous way of helping set the scene for their post-coital acting sequences, and it consistently left Radnor blushing and nearly speechless.

Whispers That Deepened Connection And Sparked Laughter Before Romantic Scenes Began Filming

Smulders defended her approach by referring to a common acting method called “the moment before,” which encourages actors to imagine what their character was doing right before a scene starts. She joked that by whispering something overtly sexual to Radnor, she was being a “giving actor” and a “great scene partner.” These whispers were meant to establish a believable emotional connection and contextual background for their romantic characters, Ted and Robin.

Despite the awkwardness, Radnor fondly recalled these whispered moments, noting how perfectly timed they were — often leaving him immobilized and on the verge of laughter just as filming began. Smulders never disclosed the actual content of the whispers, only suggesting that listeners imagine the “worst possible thing.” According to Radnor, Smulders’ whispered provocations were even more outrageous than those of their co-star Neil Patrick Harris, who also had a penchant for crude humor on set.

Unscripted Antics and Laughter That Strengthened On-Screen Chemistry and Off-Screen Bond

Co-creator Craig Thomas admitted he had no idea this was happening during filming. The podcast hosts continued probing for examples, but both Smulders and Radnor refused to elaborate, preserving the private joke between them. Radnor described the whispers as “delightful” yet “shocking,” joking that Smulders could easily pivot to writing raunchy romance novels due to her vivid and creative imagination.

Smulders and Radnor admitted that these antics often led to uncontrollable laughter during takes. Radnor was known to be “extremely breakable,” often cracking up during scenes — much of which is preserved in the show’s blooper reels. Smulders said she, too, struggled to stay composed, especially when working alongside Jason Segel, who frequently made her laugh. Despite occasional feelings of unprofessionalism, the camaraderie and humor on set created some of the show’s most memorable moments.