Kristen Bell is under fire after her 12th wedding anniversary tribute to Dax Shepard went viral for all the wrong reasons.
The Frozen star, 45, took to Instagram over the weekend to celebrate a dozen years of marriage to her husband, Armchair Expert host Dax Shepard, 50. She shared what seemed like a lighthearted photo of the pair cuddling on their bed — but it was her caption that left fans shocked.
“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,’” Bell wrote alongside a heart emoji.
While Bell likely intended the quote as a dark joke, many didn’t find it funny — especially given the timing. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and commenters quickly called out the actress for being “tone-deaf.”
“Just an FYI, posting this caption during domestic violence awareness month is unbelievably tone-deaf :/ please reconsider,” one user commented. Another added, “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.”
Others expressed disbelief, with one writing, “Kristen there’s no way you posted this during domestic violence awareness month 😭,” while another said, “Please keep in mind that this is something real that lots of people suffer on a daily basis. And the text could be triggering for victims.”
Many called the post “weird” and “disturbing,” with one follower even saying it made them “question [Bell] as a person.” Still, some fans came to the actress’s defense, calling her critics “too sensitive” and insisting the quote was simply a quirky inside joke between spouses.
Even Dateline weighed in — the official account of the true-crime show commented “Screenshotted,” a response that quickly racked up more than 39,000 likes and hundreds of replies.
Bell and Shepard, who married in October 2013, share daughters Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 10. Just last week, the Veronica Mars alum admitted she’d completely forgotten her anniversary while chatting with Entertainment Tonight.
“Is … the … oh my God, it’s my anniversary!” she exclaimed at the Nobody Wants This season 2 premiere. “You know I don’t remember that. Oh shoot, I’m so glad that you told me.”
She added that her husband is just as forgetful, joking, “It helps that he doesn’t remember, either. And no one’s at fault here, right? We’re just not great with dates.”
Despite the controversy, Bell has often spoken about the strength of her relationship. Earlier this year, she told E! News, “Even if Dax hooks up with the most beautiful person in the world at work, I know he’s committed to our family. I know he’s coming home. I know he loves our children. I know he strives to be a great husband and father.”
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