Times Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard Have Defended Their Marriage: Controversial Anniversary Jokes, More

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard have never been shy about the realities of their relationship.

Since tying the knot in 2013, the couple — who share daughters Lincoln and Delta — have weathered public scrutiny over everything from controversial social media posts to celebrity hot takes about their pairing. Through it all, both Bell and Shepard have consistently shown up for each other and spoken candidly about the work that goes into their marriage.

Keep reading for a look back at the key moments, from most recent to earliest:

Dax Shepard Addresses Kristen Bell’s Controversial Anniversary Post — April 2026

Nearly six months after Kristen Bell stirred up controversy with a wedding anniversary tribute, Dax Shepard finally broke his silence on the drama during the Monday, April 6, episode of his “Armchair Expert” podcast with guest Nikki Glaser.

“I was alerted by someone that this whole thing was happening,” Shepard recalled, brushing off the criticism surrounding their marriage after critics of Bell’s October 2025 Instagram post suggested that she walk away and leave their relationship for good. “I didn’t know, and Kristen knew through her publicist but didn’t tell me. So, I actually didn’t know, and this was brought to my attention.”

Shepard faced backlash after Bell gushed over “the man who once said to me: ‘I would never kill you.’ A lot of men have killed their wives at a certain point. Even though I’m heavily incentivized to kill you, I never would.” She shared the controversial message in honor of the special occasion.

Glaser revealed she had initially planned to poke fun at the situation during the 2026 Golden Globe Awards in January 2026, but cut it because she didn’t know where Shepard stood on the topic.

Kristen Bell Praises Dax Shepard Ahead of SAG Awards — February 2026

As she prepared to host The Actors Awards, Kristen Bell gushed about her husband, Dax Shepard, in an interview with People, noting that he uplifts her spirits and never tries to put her down.

“There’s nothing that he won’t do to take care of me,” Bell said. “One thing that I love so much about being married to him is that he is never allergic to me shining more and more. He never gets insecure about it.”

She added that being married for over a decade is a “long time,” noting, “We put a lot of work into it and I’m very happy. We’re very supportive of each other and our marriage and our family.”

Kristen Bell Reacts After Cher Says She Can ‘Do Better’ — January 2026

Cher told Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell to their faces that she thought Bell could “do better” in terms of finding a romantic partner during a January 2026 appearance on Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. The Good Place actress didn’t let it go to her head, instead stating that Shepard was “almost too good” for her, telling them both it was a “slow burn” that’s lasted.

Kristen Bell Compares Her Marriage to Her Show ‘Nobody Wants This’ — October 2025

During the press tour for season 2 of Nobody Wants This, Kristen Bell drew parallels between her marriage and the show’s central romance. “I feel like my real-life husband and I are ‘opposites attract,’” she told People, noting they have grown stronger as a couple despite facing constant scrutiny in the public eye.

That was the same month Bell’s 12th wedding anniversary post to Shepard sparked backlash. The National Network to End Domestic Violence responded to her controversial post, telling Page Six, “There’s nothing funny about domestic violence ‘jokes’ that trivialize the very real fear, trauma and pain that millions of victims and survivors face each day.”

Dax Shepard Calls Marriage a Success No Matter What — September 2025

During a conversation with Alicia Silverstone on “Armchair Expert,” Dax Shepard declared he would never speak negatively about his marriage with Kristen Bell, even hypothetically.

“I say this all the time, like, if Kristen and I ever split up, I would only describe this as still an enormously successful relationship,” Shepard said. “Like, we loved each other to death. We had these two beautiful children. We had this great time together.”

Kristen Bell Defends the Dax Shepard’s Gum Chewing Date Incident — September 2024

During an appearance on The View, Kristen Bell defended Dax Shepard’s second date move of taking gum from her mouth and chewing it — a story that “divided the hosts” and audience.

“I personally thought it was very cute and it was the indicator, after we had been talking and chatting for awhile and I was like, ‘Oh, this guy’s kinda cute and special,’” Bell said. “And then I guess I was being flirty and took it out of my mouth and then he took it. And I was like, ‘Well…’ I said, ‘Understood.’”

Kristen Bell Denies Claims She and Dax Shepard Can’t Stand Each Other — February 2021

Kristen Bell set the record straight after seeing a negative remark about herself and Dax Shepard. “Every piece of news I see about them talks about how they just can’t f***ng stand each other, constantly fight, now this dude is apparently objectifying her as well. just what’s the point?” a social media user wrote via Instagram in February 2021.

Bell fired back at the commenter, “We adore each other, we just try to always be honest about how marriage, or companionship in any form, is hard sometimes.” She added, “You cant always be in control, or right, and its important to us that we lead with the honesty of your ‘ perfect match ‘ being a myth. You gotta work hard to love yourself, and love other humans. Xo.”