At this point, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard have been married for over a decade, and their relationship has garnered attention over the years. Some viral moments involving them have resulted in commentators sharing their thoughts on the pair’s personal dynamic. More recently, Shepard (51) and Bell (45) were mentioned in an article detailing the nature of unhealthy relationships. Following that, fans weighed in, and a couple of people who know the couple (including one of Bell’s Nobody Wants This co-stars) defended the couple.
This Latest Bell/Shepard Situation Began With An Article
Recently, The Cut published a piece called “I Love My Husband (Who Hates Me),” and the article begins with an account of a situation from an episode of Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, which Bell sat in on. It was during that episode that the guest, Cher (a friend and former co-star of Bell’s). During the chat, Cher referred to Bell as Shepard’s “better half” and he asked the iconic singer who would be a dream partner for Bell, adding, “because I know you think she could do better, and I don’t disagree.” Bell ultimately laughed off the comment.
Not long after that podcast episode went up, fans also seemed to agree with the assessment that Bell could “do better,” which was co-signed by Cher. That information is noted in The Cut’s article along with mentions of a laundry-related fight Bell joked about having with Shepard years ago and the divisive Instagram post she used to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary last fall.
Over the years, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard have been candid about certain aspects of their relationship, such as parenting rules related to fighting and Shepard’s uncomfortability with people claiming his wife pays for everything. For his part, Shepard also got candid years ago when talking about how he was initially hesitant to be with Bell due to her Christian upbringing and more.
The author of The Cut’s piece ultimately aimed to analyze situations in which women defend their husbands’ behavior by softening it. In time, the article also spurred some reactions shared to social media.
How A Portion Of Fans Reacted To The Shepard/Bell-Related Article
In time, The Cut promoted that relationship article on Instagram, and more than a few users weighed in. The responses to the post – which included graphic featuring screenshots of negative comments on Dax Shepard – drew mixed reactions:
- Kristen absolutely has agency and free will. It is her choice to be with a man who hates her. So let her enjoy her husband who hates her in peace. - @alexes.ciarra
- This is so weird! You know nothing about this couple except what they've chosen to share. Why are we doing this? - @olivia.j.rowe
- Wow who knew the Dax apologists were so activated. - @the_hezza
- No, let’s talk about it! This is an example but there are so many couples online who do this. We witness the inconsiderate narcissistic husband and his partner who brought the issue to the web defending him against the internet. People are tired of couples outsourcing their discontent. Either leave or hush. - @sher.ese
- Are we listening to the same show? I feel like they share a lot, good and bad, and just seem like a normal married couple. 🤷🏻♀️ - @kennav
- This take is so gross and disappointing. Clearly everyone jumping on the bandwagon who don’t actually listen to the show and know these people. - @msjordanscott
The responses listed above, of course, represent just a sample of the views shared under that IG post. As previously mentioned, general fans weren’t the only ones to join in the discussion, as two people who know Bell and Shepard personally also shared thoughts.
Who Else Weighed In On Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard’s Marriage?
Justine Lupe – who has starred alongside Bell on two seasons of Nobody Wants This (which is streamable with a Netflix subscription) – saw the Instagram post and didn’t hold back her thoughts. In her comment, Lupe expressed sadness over having seen the news outlet criticize her friend and colleague’s marriage. Lupe also related the situation to a controversy she recently linked to:
It’s sad to see a publication I generally admire, indulging in such tabloid-esque clickbait. I felt the same about the thinly written article by Ashley Tisdale that publicly shamed and humiliated a group of moms while offering no real substance or insight on the very real loneliness that can come with being a new mom.
Lupe also said she could “understand that getting attention is a challenge for publications like yours- but I’m far more interested in the work you do that elevates and celebrates women”. Also sharing thoughts was Shepard’s podcast co-host, Monica Padman, who expressed her own displeasure with the article. Padman’s post reads in part:
Stop doing this. It’s extremely anti-feminist to say Kristen, an uber successful woman, is stuck in a relationship where she is forced to defend her husband. It assumes she has no agency, confidence or opinions of her own. All of which are completely untrue and a dangerous idea to spread about women. I’ve never been around a couple that’s more partnered, equal and communicative with one another.
It’s evident that while Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard’s relationship does have its detractors, there are those who are in their corner. While the celebrity couple has been candid about the not-so-glamorous aspects of their relationship, they’ve also publicly shown support for each other, as Shepard did after Bell landed her first Emmy nod. At first glance, while people may continue to weigh in on their romance one way or the other, Bell and Shepard mostly seem to be tuning out the chatter.
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