Dax Shepard Would Never Regret Marriage to Kristen Bell, Even If Their ‘Enormously Successful Relationship’ Ended

Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell may not have the “perfect” marriage, but the actor insists that even if they were to go their separate ways someday, he’d still look back on their relationship as one of the greatest successes of his life.

Shepard, 50, opened up about his perspective on love and marriage during a candid conversation with Alicia Silverstone on the September 8 episode of his “Armchair Expert” podcast. Silverstone, 48, reflected on her own 20-year marriage to ex-husband Chris Jarecki, sparking Shepard to share how he views his union with Bell.

“I say this all the time, like, if Kristen and I ever split up, I would only describe this as still an enormously successful relationship,” Shepard told Silverstone and cohost Monica Padman. “Like, we loved each other to death. We had these two beautiful children. We had this great time together.”

The Parenthood star added that it would feel wrong to disregard the life they’ve built. “I would be dishonoring it by not considering it successful,” he explained.

Shepard and Bell, 45, first began dating in 2007 and tied the knot six years later in October 2013. They’ve since welcomed two daughters: Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 10.

Though they’ve built a strong foundation, both have been honest about the work it takes to make their marriage thrive. In a 2019 cover story for People, Shepard admitted, “We definitely had to work really hard at being a couple because we’re both incredibly, painfully stubborn, and we’re pretty much opposites. I was like, ‘That’s the best personality I’ve ever seen on a woman. I need to be around it. I want to be around it when I’m 80, but how?’”

Bell has echoed those sentiments over the years, including in a 2024 interview with E!. “I married my polar opposite,” the Veronica Mars actress confessed. “We are the antithesis of each other. We argue about absolutely everything, but there is a foundational trust that we’ve built that keeps us together and is quite stimulated by one another’s opinions.” She added, “Being with someone who you are unlike or you don’t have a ton of similarities with, it forces you to grow.”

Shepard’s latest comments come shortly after Bell celebrated another milestone in his life—his 21st year of sobriety. On Instagram, she honored the achievement with a series of intimate family photos, including snapshots of Shepard hugging their daughters and a sweet kiss between the couple.

“This is what 21 years of sobriety looks like,” Bell captioned the post. “Lots of hugging. Hugging everyone and everything. Hugging life. Thank you for getting sober, @daxshepard. I am eternally grateful to have you. We all are 💕.”