Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard are facing renewed scrutiny after a resurfaced 2012 interview showed Shepard joking about “hitting” his wife, years before her now-infamous anniversary post referencing men who k**l their wives.
The clip, now circulating widely on social media, has sparked outrage from fans and advocates who are accusing the couple of making light of domestic violence, especially during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
An old interview of Bell and Shepard resurfaced, and it reignited controversy
Image credits: Araya Doheny/Getty Images
The backlash began when an old interview promoting the couple’s 2012 film Hit and Run resurfaced on X and TikTok this week.
In the clip, Bell recalled teasing her husband about his prized 1967 Lincoln Continental, joking that it sounded like it was “going to break.”
Image credits: SheKnows
Shepard interrupted with a smirk, saying, “And I was very offended. And then I hit her several times.”
Bell laughed and played along, adding, “And then I got beat up. And guess what, I never opened my mouth again.”
Image credits: SheKnows
The reporter tried to pivot by saying, “My goodness, you guys have quite the interesting relationship.” But Shepard doubled down, adding, “Well, with the d**d bodies and all that.”
Earlier in the interview, the couple had joked about Bell “m**dering someone” and Shepard “helping her dispose of the body,” according to the Daily Mail.
Image credits: SheKnows
Bell replied sarcastically, “I m**dered a couple of people. But he only disposed of one body. I had other boyfriends, at the time, that were disposing of the other bodies.”
Fans called out Bell’s tone-deaf humor amid National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The timing of the resurfaced clip couldn’t be worse. Just days earlier, Bell had already faced widespread condemnation over a caption she wrote to celebrate her 12th wedding anniversary with Shepard.
Under a photo of Shepard seemingly hugging one of their daughters, the Veronica Mars star wrote:
“Happy 12th wedding anniversary to the man who once said to me: ‘I would never k**l you. A lot of men have k**led their wives at a certain point. Even though I’m heavily incentivized to k**l you, I never would.’”
The post quickly drew furious reactions online, especially because October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “Timing and tone really matter, especially with sensitive topics,” one X user wrote.
Another said, “Kristen Bell thinking it was OK to post this to her 16 million followers during Domestic A**se Awareness Month — when a girl or woman is k**led by a man known to them every 10 minutes — is insane.”
Image credits: kristenanniebell
On Instagram, hundreds of fans left similar remarks. One person commented, “That’s a wildly sad and insensitive thing to say considering it’s domestic violence awareness month and thousands of women have died at the hands of the man they trusted.”
Another added, “Not funny at all. What kind of man says that to his wife? Oh wait, I know exactly what kind. Get out now, Kristen.”
Others urged empathy for victims: “Crazy thing to joke about honestly. Sincerely, someone who thankfully survived.”
Despite the backlash, Bell has not deleted the post or publicly addressed the criticism.
The couple’s ‘relatable’ image has now come under fire
Image credits: kristenanniebell
The controversy marks a sharp turn for Bell and Shepard, who were once seen as one of Hollywood’s most “authentic” couples.
The pair built their brand on candid honesty about marriage, parenting, and therapy, often joking about their imperfections.
The couple met in 2004 at a mutual friend’s birthday party and tied the knot in 2013 in a courthouse ceremony. They now share two daughters, Lincoln, 11, and Delta, 9.
Bell has previously praised Shepard’s character, calling him “protective, loyal, and endlessly curious.”
Image credits: kristenanniebell
“He’s so protective, he’s so loyal, he’s curious, he’s constantly researching things to get new perspective, he challenges himself, he’s self-critical,” she previously said.
Kristen Bell skipped her Today Show appearance amid mounting backlash
Image credits: daxshepard
Bell’s public absence this week only added fuel to the fire. According to Entertainment Weekly, the actress was noticeably missing from a scheduled Today Show appearance on Wednesday morning.
Her Nobody Wants This co-star, Justine Lupe, appeared on the NBC morning show alone. She did not address the absence of her Emmy-nominated co-star.
Neither Bell’s representatives nor Today’s producers have commented on the absence, but many viewers saw it as a hint that the actress is keeping a low profile amid the backlash.
Some netizens, however, have come to Bell’s defense, stating that her words were obviously a joke.
“I’m a DV survivor, full on physical for years with concerns for my life. In no way, shape, or form would I be triggered by some celebrity’s comment… We don’t care about you calling out a social media comment. It means nothing to victims,” one commenter wrote.
Netizens shared their thoughts on Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard’s controversial comments on social media
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