Smulders smoulders for co-star

Cobie Smulders is "the coolest chick in the world", Neil Patrick Harris has said.

The gay actor, whose alter-ego Barney Stinson is set to marry the actress' character Robin Scherbatsky on screen in the upcoming eighth season of How I Met Your Mother, even joked that he has the hots for his newly married co-star.

"I'm head over heels in love with Cobie Smulders. She just got married - much to my chagrin. But she married a delightful gentleman," he told Access Hollywood.

"But I love working with her. She's like, the coolest chick in the world and she's so sexy and she's so talented and so funny. Doing scenes with her is like a really great day at the office."

Cobie, who married long-time love Taran Killam on September 8 after eight years of dating, showed off her wedding ring at the CBS autumn 2012 premiere party in Hollywood.

The 30-year-old teamed up her bright red lips with an intricately embroidered long-sleeved dress by Temperley London, as she mingled at the network party with TV stars such as Dennis Quaid, Ted Danson, LL Cool J, Brandon Routh and Sophia Bush.