Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard's marriage drew criticism after Bell marked their 12th anniversary with a post some followers found inappropriate.

Bell, 45, posted a photo of her and Shepard, 50, sitting together on a bed. Her caption included a dark comment that many viewers said felt off, especially given the timing.

She quoted her husband saying, "I would never kill you. A lot of men have killed their wives at a certain point."

A source told the Daily Mail that Bell likely "didn't realize" how her caption would be received, noting that her sense of humor can be "dark" and that she is sometimes "oblivious to people's feelings."

The source added the post was meant as a private joke between her and Shepard but "ended up being tone deaf."

Private Tensions Behind Public Humor

The couple, married since 2013 after six years together, are known for speaking openly about their relationship. They often talk about their arguments and parenting experiences in interviews and online.

According to one source, their relationship is far from easy. "Kristen and Dax are both pretty volatile people and can blow up over the smallest issues," the insider told the Daily Mail.

"Sometimes Kristen or Dax will say something they think is funny and the other one gets offended."

The couple's 2018 appearance on Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast gave fans an early look at that dynamic.

During the interview, Shepard teased Bell for "nagging," prompting her to call him "annoying" and accuse him of "talking over" her.

A post shared by instagram

Fights, Therapy, And Family Life

Bell has openly discussed the pair's arguments in the past.

In a 2020 appearance on Justin Long's Life Is Short podcast, she recalled a fight that left her "screaming at the top of my lungs."

The argument began after she left Shepard a note asking him to fold towels and help with chores. Shepard interpreted the note as controlling, and the two fought for hours before Bell "grabbed [her] pillow" and slept in another room for three days.

Despite their intense fights, friends say the couple keeps their daughters, Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 10, shielded from the drama.

Bell has credited couples therapy for keeping their marriage intact.

Speaking on Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson's podcast in 2024, she said they began therapy within the first six months of dating because both were "really stubborn." Shepard has said therapy helps them "coexist," while Bell told People that they return to counseling every few years when they start becoming "antagonistic."

A third insider told the Daily Mail therapy "has been the main reason they haven't broken up," calling it "the addiction Dax needs in his life."

Controversy Beyond The Anniversary Post

The couple has also faced speculation about their relationship style.

In 2024, Shepard told "The Drew Barrymore Show" that rumors about them being "Hollywood swingers" were false, laughing that friends texted to ask why they hadn't been invited to the alleged "swinger party."

According to People, Shepard and Padman, who co-host Armchair Expert, have even joked that they share a "three-way marriage" with Bell, clarifying it's entirely platonic.

Despite the backlash to Bell's recent post, insiders maintain the couple's relationship, while intense, remains intact. "They fight, they make up, and they go back to therapy," said one source. "That's how they work."

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Kristen Bell, Dax shepard