Kristen Bell ignited criticism on social media after sharing an Instagram tribute to her husband, Dax Shepard, for their 12th wedding anniversary.

The "Good Place" actress posted a photo of herself and Shepard embracing on a bed and captioned it with a startling quote she attributed to him: "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."

Many followers found the remark unsettling and poorly timed, given that their anniversary fell during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. One user commented, "Posting this caption during domestic violence awareness month is unbelievably tone deaf. Please reconsider." Others pointed out that joking about spousal violence can be triggering: "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."

The true crime series "Dateline" weighed in by simply writing "Screenshotted" on their own social media account, which was met with over 40,000 likes and a flurry of supportive replies from fans defending the show's call-out. Despite criticism, some of Bell's fans defended the post as private humor. One defender wrote, "This was just a joke between two people who have a candid relationship, too sensitive!" Another added, "You know Kristen; she has a dark sense of humor. Not everything is meant to be taken literally."

Bell and Shepard first met at a dinner party in 2007, became engaged in 2009, and married on October 17, 2013. They share two daughters, Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 10. Both actors have often spoken about the work required to maintain their partnership and frequently joke about forgetting important dates. During last week's premiere of "Nobody Wants This" Season 2, Bell admitted she had nearly forgotten their anniversary until a reporter reminded her.

Representatives for Bell have not issued a statement addressing the backlash, and the Instagram post remains live with comments turned off. Observers noted that Bell's remark reflected the couple's penchant for self-deprecating humor and authenticity, traits that have long defined their public presence. Yet critics maintain that public figures have a responsibility to be sensitive when referencing serious issues like domestic violence.

As the debate continues online, the episode highlights the challenge celebrities face in balancing candid personal moments with broad audience expectations, especially when those moments intersect with sensitive social issues.

Tags
Kristen Bell, Dax shepard, Anniversary, Instagram