Kristen Bell reveals the secret to her 12-year marriage to Dax Shepard


The Frozen actress, 45, says that the reason her relationship has lasted is because she is married to another actor who has a "commitment to growth".


© Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via G
Nicola ConvilleFeatures Writer
October 25, 2025
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Actress Kristen Bell is currently promoting Season 2 of her hit Netflix show, Nobody Wants This, with co-star Adam Brody. She appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and on SiriusXM’s "Radio Andy", where she revealed her key to a successful relationship. "I like being married to an actor. We understand each other’s highs and lows and excitements and complaints," she told host Andy Cohen, who posed the question to both Kristen and Adam. "We’re both creative so we can get deep into some random conversation and just feel like we’re creating something together," she added.

Kristen also revealed that she felt she had "chosen the right person" to be her life partner. "I'm glad I chose my husband because he has a commitment to growth at all times", she said adding: "I don't like the idea that you’re looking for your perfect puzzle piece, because you also have to become a puzzle piece that fits with someone else". She added that she chose Dax because she knew they would both be willing to "make this work" together and "compromise constantly - and those compromises should work well for both of us."

"Sometimes it’s gonna ebb and sometimes it’s gonna flow, but we’re not gonna have checks and balances because we’re going to realise 'it’s not me against you, it’s us against the world,'" she added.

© Getty Images for SiriusXM
Kristen Bell on 'Andy Cohen Live' at SiriusXM Studios

In October 2025, the couple celebrated 12 years of marriage together, with Kristen sharing a tongue-in-cheek post on social media. The photo showed the pair in a tight embrace and was captioned: Happy 12th wedding anniversary to 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." While some fans said the post was in poor taste, others said it was just typical of the couple’s self-deprecating humour.

© Getty Images
Kristen Bell and the cast of Netflix's "Nobody Wants This"

The couple finally  'I do' in a very low-key celebration in 2013, four years after getting engaged. They had always maintained they wouldn't tie the knot until marriage equality was achieved in California. 

They also had a famously inexpensive wedding, with Dax telling The Knot: "We spent a hundred bucks at the courthouse. The last thing we wanted to do was take something and add stress - Who’s invited? What’s for dinner? - since we’d rather buy a family member a house."

© Getty Images
Kirsten and Adam Brody speak during Netflix's "Nobody Wants This" screening and conversation

The pair also have two daughters, Lincoln Bell Shepard, 12, and Delta Bell Shepard, 10, and have weathered many storms together, including a brief break-up in their early dating days, which Kristen admits she has often teased Dax about. 

© Variety via Getty Images
Dax and Kristen at the 18th Annual Go Gala

In 2020, Dax celebrated 16 years of sobriety, but in a heartbreaking turn of events, he revealed he relapsed on painkillers. The actor even admitted he was high as he rang in the sober milestone. While Kristen did not comment at the time, she did share an Instagram story from a fan who praised her husband's courage and character. 

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