Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard have long been one of Hollywood’s favorite lovebirds, with a romance spanning nearly two decades and a marriage blessed with two kids.
But even the most adored stars aren’t immune to controversy, and over the years, the duo has faced several moments that left fans disappointed and sparked criticism.
From explicit online posts to “disturbing” confessions that didn’t land as intended, here are the most controversial moments in Kristen and Dax’s publicized relationship.
Image credits: Savion Washington / Getty images
#1 Daughters Allowed To Sip Non-Alcoholic Beer
While appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show in March 2024, the Bad Moms alum revealed that her daughters sometimes enjoy drinking non-alcoholic beer.
Though she admitted that little kids sipping the beverage “sounds insane,” she explained that the girls associate the taste of zero-alcohol beer with their dad.
“He’s a recovering a**ict. But he likes non-alcoholic beer, so he’d pop one open… As a baby, she was pawing at it, and sometimes she’d suck on the rim of it. So, I think it feels to her like something special, something daddy, something family.”
However, the wave of backlash it ignited was intense. Users brutally slammed the stars for their controversial parenting of their daughters.
One person commented, “Beer is an acquired taste, why would they want their young children acquiring it? The f**k? I didn’t get a taste for beer until I was beyond 21…”
“There have been so many stupid stories about their kids, it seems like they say s**t just for attention."
However, the couple pushed back against the backlash in an episode of Armchair Expert.
Bell said, “It’s not your kid, you can think whatever you want… I’m not going to change based on what anybody else says because this is our family and not your business.”
Image credits: Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard / YouTube
#2 Shepard's Alleged Cheating Scandal
One of the Parenthood star’s previous flings resurfaced in 2018, almost five years after his marriage to Bell.
Kayti Edwards, the step-granddaughter of Julie Andrews, revealed she had a brief fling with Shepard back in 2009 at a Hollywood party, two years into Dax’s relationship with Kristen.
In a set of photos Kayti shared with DailyMailTV from a photo booth, the two were seen passionately kissing, with her recalling that the night continued at a friend’s house, where they spent the night together.
She claimed she didn’t realize Kristen was Dax’s girlfriend at the time, admitting, “I don’t really keep up with Hollywood stuff, so I didn’t even know who she was until Frozen came out.”
Kayti emphasized that her decision to come forward was about setting the record straight.
“I just wanted to set the story straight before someone else said something that wasn’t true. I wish them to be happy. I hope they’re happily married.”
Despite the story being almost a decade old, fans of Kristen criticized Dax for his alleged actions, with one writing, “Gross no matter when.”
Another sympathetic fan commented, “Always thought [Kristen] could do better. I always got a creepy vibe from him. Now it’s understandable.”
Image credits: daxshepard / Instagram
#3 Triggering 12th Wedding Anniversary Post
In October 2025, Kristen Bell celebrated her 12th wedding anniversary with Dax Shepard with a post that raised alarms.
While the cuddly picture of the lovebirds was sweet, the caption caught everyone’s attention and sparked controversy.
The 45-year-old actress wrote, “Happy 12th wedding anniversary to the man who once said to me: ‘“I would never ki** you. A lot of men have ki**ed their wives at a certain point. Even though I’m heavily incentivized to ki** you, I never would.”’
Netizens slammed the post as “tone-deaf” and “triggering” for victims of domestic violence, especially since October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“This couple has been so open about their toxic relationship,” commented one user, while another echoed, “Please don’t joke about domestic violence.”
“Please keep in mind that this is something real that lots of people suffer on a daily basis. And the text could be triggering for victims.”
Isabella Lowenthal-Isaacs, policy manager at Women’s Aid, a charity working to eradicate domestic violence, shared with Bored Panda, "In an era where one woman is ki**ed by a partner or ex-partner every four days, language like this is a harmful trivialization of violence against women which normalize ab**e."
Image credits: kristenanniebell / Instagram
#4 Kristen Bell’s Intimate Photo
In July 2025, Buddy Games star Dax Shepard celebrated Kristen Bell’s first Emmy nomination in a very unconventional way.
To mark the milestone, he shared a risqué photo of Kristen in their backyard, striking a downward dog pose while soaking up the sun.
In the picture, she was completely unclothed, sporting only bright blue socks.
Jokingly, Dax captioned the post, “People might not know everything that happens behind the scenes to create an Emmy-nominated performance like Kristen’s. This may or may not have been part of her training, but it felt right…”
The post stunned netizens and celebrities alike. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow commented, “Oh my God, Dax!” while many users mistook Bell for Britney Spears, who is known for sharing similar images online.
“Initially scrolling, I was like ‘Britney… not again.’”
Another commented, “If Dax doesn't post in a few days we know she choked him for this.”
Image credits: kristenanniebell / Instagram
#5 Dax Triggers Jonathan Van Ness Over Trans Rights Debate
In September 2023, Queer Eye star and podcast host Jonathan Van Ness made a tense appearance on Dax Shepard’s podcast.
The nonbinary stylist became emotional during a discussion about trans rights, including access to gender-affirming care and the participation of trans athletes in sports.
During the episode, Shepard often challenged Van Ness’ points and raised concerns about fairness for cisgender athletes.
At one point, Van Ness even broke down in tears and said, “I’m a nonbinary fu**ing trans person… I just can’t do it anymore.”
Shepard later apologized on the episode, saying he “did not intend” to trigger Jonathan, who later shared their feelings publicly.
During an appearance on Keke Palmer’s podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, they revealed that they weren’t given a transcript before it aired and that the conversation had been heavily edited.
Although they respect Shepard, the disagreement was intense. “I would say it was worse,” Van Ness added.
Social media users pointed out how even conversations with purported allies can be emotionally taxing for marginalized voices.
One user wrote, “Dax Shepard and his wife suffer from what I call Extreme White Delusion, which is to think not only they have things to say about anything, but they should well be taken seriously about it.”
Image credits: Rich Polk / Getty Images
#6 Kristen Let Her Underage Kids Roam Alone In Copenhagen
The couple faced intense backlash in September 2024 over a parenting decision during a family trip to Copenhagen with their daughters, Lincoln, 11, and Delta, 9.
The Frozen star appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and recounted letting their kids roam the Tivoli Gardens theme park unsupervised for seven hours.
“We stayed at this hotel that was right at Tivoli Gardens… They woke up at 6 a.m., scanned their bracelets, and we didn’t see them for seven hours. They were just running around Copenhagen.”
Her confession left even the host stunned, who asked, “And that was ok?” Kristen replied, “Apparently, they’re both alive. We all returned home.”
Several social media users slammed Kristen and her husband, expressing their concerns.
One wrote, “I’m GenX, and even though I had limited supervision as a kid, I would never let children that young run around a theme park unattended.”
Another added, “Safety aside, that’s not fair to the staff and other guests at the park… hire a babysitter if you need alone time.”
Image credits: Jimmy Kimmel Live / YouTube
#7 The Actress Contradicts Her AI Stance
Kristen found herself at the center of an unexpected controversy when she became one of the official voices for Meta’s AI chatbot.
Back in June 2024, the actress openly opposed Meta using her data for AI training.
She reposted a popular Instagram message asserting that she refused to consent to Meta using her content and likeness for large language model training, demanding that Instagram “get rid of the AI program.”
At the time, one of Meta’s updates to its terms of service allowed the company to use posts, images, and online tracking data to train its Llama 3 AI model.
Despite her earlier opposition, Bell later consented and even profited from her participation in the project. This drew criticism online, with users calling out the apparent irony.
One user expressed, “You act like she was poor and NEEDED the money. She's already very rich, so selling out your principles for more money is just greed at that point.”
“I’ll never understand why rich people do stuff like this just to get more money.”
Image credits: Kevin Paul / Wikipedia
#8 Kristen And Dax’s No-Bath Routine For Their Kids
During a 2021 interview with Daily Blast Live, Bell revealed that she and her husband don’t bathe their daughters on a daily basis.
“It’s not so much of a joke that I wait for the stink. That tells you when they need to bathe.”
Shepard added that while they bathed the girls religiously during their early years, the routine became less rigid as they grew older.
The duo also cited environmental reasons behind their unconventional hygiene approach.
“California has been in a drought forever… It's just like, responsibility for your environment. We don’t have a ton of water, so when I shower, I’ll grab the girls and push them in there with me so we all use the same shower water,” the actress explained.
However, no matter their good intentions for saving water, fans were quick to react, with many calling the routine “unhygienic.”
“So many unhygienic people live here!”
Image credits: Daily Blast LIVE / YouTube
#9 Dax Shepard Left A Heart On Heidi Klum’s Thirst Trap
Heidi Klum, supermodel and TV host, did a photo shoot for Paris Match, wearing nothing but red fingernails.
She shared the photo on her Instagram account in August 2025, and it quickly began garnering attention.
In the image, the 52-year-old model was lying on a wooden table or cabinet on the Caribbean island of St. Barts, with her bare back and bottom facing the camera.
Among those who “liked” the post was comedian and Armchair Expert host Shepard, on whose podcast Klum had once been a guest.
This wasn’t the first time Dax had shown appreciation for photos of unclad women on social media.
His gesture left fans polarized, as some questioned why he would drop a heart on another woman's bare body, while others argued it wasn’t a big deal given that the two were friends.
“Man likes photo of attractive n**ed woman. So what?”
Image credits: heidiklum / Instagram
#10 Boston Airport Sleepover Drama
Kristen and Dax found themselves at the center of an airport drama after getting “kicked out” of Logan International Airport in Boston with their daughters.
Documenting the ordeal on her Instagram Stories in the summer of 2023, Bell shared that the family had been stuck for nine hours and had “made quite a home” at the boarding gate.
Shepard also posted a video of their makeshift setup, featuring $600 worth of blankets and pillows and a single toothbrush.
“Could have been a really nice hotel, but they’re all taken,” the 50-year-old star noted. However, airport staff reportedly asked them to leave shortly after midnight.
The couple later faced backlash online, with critics questioning their claims that all nearby hotels were booked.
“No hotel vacancies within 50 miles? One of the greatest lies ever told.”
On his Armchair Expert podcast, Dax explained that by the time they were aware of the flight cancellations, every hotel was already full.
Kristen defended her family, citing a lack of “emotional and intellectual capacity” in netizens, saying people “want to be angry about something.”
Image credits: daxshepard / Instagram
