Tag Archives: Clark Gregg

As S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Coulson and Hill, actors Clark Gregg and Cobie Smulders add a welcome touch of working-class humanity to the heroics going on around them in “The Avengers.” Gregg’s been part of the Marvel Comics films going back to “Iron Man,” although his previous resume includes work with talents like Aaron Sorkin and David Mamet; Smulders, best-known for the small-screen “How I Met Your Mother,” joins the Marvel films for the first time with this film. We spoke with the two in L.A. about the human touch, costumes and gender roles, having Samuel L. Jackson as an on-screen boss and action-figure envy …

MSN Movies: How nice is it to be able to give the human touch to all this mythic special effects stuff going on?

Clark Gregg: It’s pretty darn nice, I’ve got to say. It’s been one kind of amazing ultimate surprise after another from the first “Iron Man” — kind of showing up being a guy just pestering Tony Stark. Then gradually revealing that the “Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division is S.H.I.E.L.D. And kind of finding out on the one hand this guy knows all kinds of secrets and is involved in stuff you can’t even imagine, and at the same time, in this movie we get to learn he grew up loving the comics and is a huge fan of Captain America, and can barely contain his schoolgirl giggles when Captain America is there …

You, Ms. Smulders have to wear this sort of action leotard (as Maria Hill), and Mr. Coulson just wears a really great suit. Do we need to talk to S.H.I.E.L.D. about gender roles and the workplace dress code?

Gregg: Well, they put me in the unitard with codpiece, but it wasn’t good for anyone involved so they quickly put me back in the suit …

Cobie Smulders: … And they also felt that Coulson is on the field a lot, and he’ll draw too much attention if he goes out in his leotard. Those who stay on the Helicarrier can put the uniform on. Maybe if I was in his role I’d get a female power suit, or something like that.

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