Canadian actress Cobie Smulders ("The L Word") is in talks to play the character 'Maria Hill' in Marvel Studios upcoming Paramount release "The Avengers", to be directed by Joss Whedon ("Buffy The Vampire Slayer").Chicago-born Hill was the former Director of the planetary defense/intelligence service 'S.H.I.E.L.D.', joining the US armed forces, before becoming an agent of the organization.
When S.H.I.E.L.D. Director 'Nick Fury' goes into hiding, Hill is appointed interim Executive Director, with a 'Life Model Decoy' of Fury, regularly used in public to maintain an illusion of normalcy within the Directorate's ranks.






















































