Kristen Bell Marks 12th Wedding Anniversary with Dax Shepard, Sparks Buzz Over Post Caption

A dark anniversary joke has landed the star of "Nobody Wants This" in hot water, after fans and followers accused the actress of posting an insensitive message at the worst possible time.

On October 17, 2025, Kristen Bell marked 12 years of marriage to Dax Shepard by uploading what appeared to be a tender photo of the couple in bed. But the caption that accompanied the cozy snapshot shocked her followers and quickly ignited a fierce backlash across social media.

A Sweet Anniversary Photo With a Shocking Punchline

To commemorate their silk and fine linen anniversary, Bell posted a seemingly intimate image. The couple can be seen hugging each other in bed, both dressed in casual clothes, sharing what should have been a loving moment.

But instead of a standard declaration of love, Bell's caption referenced a bizarre private exchange between her and Shepard:

"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.'❤️"

That one line was all it took to send her post spiraling into controversy.

Internet Reacts With Confusion and Outrage

As soon as the post went live, netizens flooded the comments with criticism and disbelief.

"What a weird thing to say to your partner," one person commented. Another wrote, "Dark humor and rage baiting is a thing. But this is not it. Read the room hun [sic]. That's offensive."

"This is disturbing," someone added bluntly. Another called it out plainly, "Well this is awkward." "Is this a bad joke?" one asked, while another wrote, "This is so wild."

But the backlash only intensified once followers pointed out what month it was.

October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month — and Fans Didn't Miss It

"Kristen there's no way you posted this during domestic violence awareness month 😭," one stunned commenter wrote.

Another scolded the actress directly, "Domestic violence isn't something to joke about. If it's an inside joke than keep it 'inside'. This is a bit extreme for an anniversary post, and I am a fan of dark humor…. But yea, too much KB [sic]!"

Someone else observed, "She has a strange sense of humor but it's a little bad timing for sure."

October has long been observed in the United States as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an initiative that began in 1981 as a "Day of Unity."

Since then, it has grown into a national movement focused on educating the public about the signs of domestic abuse, supporting survivors, and advocating for prevention.

While Bell and Dax Shepard have not responded to the backlash, as of this writing, the post remains live. Yet, this isn't the first time the couple has faced backlash online this year.

Controversial Parenting Decision

As previously reported, during a July 2025 episode of "Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard," featuring Seth Meyers as a guest, the actor revealed that he takes a different approach to parenting.

The actor admitted that he swears in front of his children, "They are allowed to swear — not with impunity, but when it's called for and they land it. And it's in the house and not out at a restaurant, it's OK."

He added, "My defense of it is, I just told the girls, like, 'Hey, these are noises that come out of your mouth, and you assign what they mean to you.'"

Okay or Not Okay — Netizens' Mixed Reactions

After the revelation, netizens weighed in. One supporter wrote, "I fully believe this is okay. Teaching your kids when it's appropriate to do something and when it is not is a life lesson."

Another commenter shared mixed feelings, "I mean…with older kids, no big deal. But whenever I hear little ones cuss it makes me a bit sad. Like they've already lost some of their innocence. But I'd also never tell someone else how to parent."

Someone else observed, "You mean he teaches his children the meaning of things rather than just saying 'rules are rules because history says so.'"

Other people continued to share their thoughts, with one asking, "Wouldn't it be better to expand their vocabulary so they don't need to revert to meaningless bad language?"

"Because that's how you teach them to express themselves," another individual responded. A third person added, "totally agree its how you use it [sic]."

Someone else criticized the couple's approach, "Because they've let them do what they want their entire lives so now they have no control over them any more so its easier that way 😂 [sic]."

One person shared a different perspective, "My ears would ring if I heard my children swear in my home. It's about raising a child with class, respect, and dignity. I don't even swear in front of my parents, and I'm 31 years old."

The Independent Style

While Shepard's podcast remarks stirred debate, Bell's own parenting philosophy highlights another side of their approach.

The actress candidly shared in a June 2024 interview that she and her husband allow their two daughters — Lincoln and Delta — freedom and independence in their upbringing:

"I think there should be more risks taken by kids, within reason. I think that it builds so many survival skills."

Bell referred to Shepard's approach to teaching their daughters how to ride motorcycles and take part in off-roading.

She admitted that, in the past, she would have been nervous watching them, but after seeing how carefully Shepard trains the girls, how skilled they are, and how much they enjoy it, her nerves had eased.

The mother of two also noted that their older daughter takes after Shepard, while their younger child is more like her. Bell described herself and her youngest as "wobbly people," in contrast to Shepard and their eldest, who are naturally adept with machinery. She added:

"I just don’t really think it's my place to stand in their way. When I see the risk assessment that it's teaching, I'm actually very grateful for it."