Kristen Bell Sparks Backlash Over Controversial Anniversary Post About Dax Shepard

Kristen Bell has received criticism online after posting an anniversary tribute to her husband Dax Shepard that some have interpreted as a flippant allusion to domestic violence.

On Saturday, the “Nobody Wants This” actress shared a photo on Instagram where she and Shepard share a sweet hug.

“Happy 12th wedding anniversary to the man who once told me, ‘I would never kill you. Many men have killed their wives at one point. Although I am strongly motivated to kill you, I would never do it,'” Bell wrote in the caption of his post.

As of Monday afternoon, the post had generated a flurry of comments, with some noting that Bell’s caption seemed particularly ill-timed in October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“It’s not funny at all. What kind of man says that to his wife? Oh wait, I know exactly what kind,” one person wrote on Instagram. “Come out now, Kristen.”

Another added: “Everyone who thinks this is funny: talk to a domestic violence survivor or the loved one of a domestic violence victim who was murdered. Please think about the impact you are having.”

Randy Shropshire via Getty Images

Others, including some of Bell’s famous friends, suggested that his words should not be taken literally.

“Oh man. We are laughing so hard!!!!” wrote actress Mary Steenburgen.

Actor Timothy Simons, one of Bell’s co-stars on “Nobody Wants This,” added, “This is legitimately really sweet.”

News reached out to a representative for Bell for comment on his comments but did not immediately receive a response.

The A-list couple is no stranger to turning heads on social media, particularly when it comes to candid revelations about their relationship.

In July, Shepard celebrated his wife’s Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Joanne in “Nobody Wants This” by posting a photo of her doing yoga naked except for a pair of knee-high socks.

“People may not know everything that goes on behind the scenes to create an Emmy-nominated performance like Kristen’s,” he wrote in the caption. “This may or may not have been part of his training, but it felt good.”

Appearing on Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast last month, Bell said she wished she had “bounced around a little more” in terms of her romantic experiences before marrying her husband.

Her comments on the podcast led Shepard to joke, “I was very sexually active and I wish I was even more so.”