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Actors Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell began dating in late 2007, after having met at a birthday party of a mutual friend. In January 2010 the two stars got engaged, but they delayed their wedding until the state of California passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage — which happened in 2013. Nowadays, they are one of the industry's most well-known couples, and they have a combined net worth of $40 million.
Today, we're taking a closer look at the couple's relationship. Over the years, it has been rumored that the two aren't exclusive and that they are even in a three-way marriage. Is there any truth to these claims? Keep on scrolling to find out!
Are Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard In A Three-Way Marriage?
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Dax Shepard joked about being in a three-way marriage with his wife Kristen Bell and his Armchair Expert cohost Monica Padman. "Absolutely, we’re in a three-way marriage," Padman, who was also a guest on the episode said. "Well, we were in a three-way marriage." After that Kimmel asked whether the three-way marriage is also in a sexual way, to which Padman quickly responded "Not yet!", and Shepard said "Unfortunately not. It’s all the responsibilities of two wives without the sex."
While Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard aren't really in a three-way marriage, the couple does rely a lot on Shepard's co-host Monica Padman. "We say we want her to find love, [but] our marriage would fall apart without her," the actor said. Bell, Shepard, and Padman actually quarantined together during the coronavirus pandemic since Shepard and Padman were working regularly on their podcast Armchair Expert together.
"It hit critical mass [one] month in because Kristen 'got COVID. We thought. So, she was in her room quarantining on her own." Padman revealed. "At the same time, Dax broke his hand — couldn’t make food, couldn’t help with anything. I was there, like, 'Oh, I have to take care of all of these children while [Dax and Kristen] are on vacation.' OK, bye. I left." To that, Shepard said "It was abrupt. She just, like, entered the living room, and she had all of her belongings." Padman laughed, saying "Like many marriages in quarantine, ours ended in divorce," to which Shepard added, "Now it’s a traditional marriage, because now it’s just financial. It’s like a '30s marriage."
Why Do People Think That Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard Have An Open Marriage?
So if Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard aren't actually in a three-way marriage with Monica Padman, where does the rumor of them being in an open relationship come from? Most likely, it's rooted in the fact that Shepard admitted that he has been in an open relationship prior to being with Kristen Bell.
During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Dax Shepard revealed that at the begging of the relationship with his wife, there was "a ton of jealousy…for pretty good reasons. I had been in an open relationship for nine years, I was blacked out a big chunk of my life. You know, there were a lot of things for her to be concerned about," the actor explained. However, after their relationship became serious, the two stopped being as jealous. "But, I'd say once we got engaged, some kind of switch for me seemed to change," the actor admitted. "And I find her to be incredibly not jealous, which is an incredibly hot characteristic in a partner."
Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard got married in 2013, and together they have two daughters. Over the years both of them have been open about their relationship — especially about things they struggled with. The two have also been vocal about going to couple’s therapy, as well as what they tend to fight about. On Sunday TODAY, Dax Shepard said "We don't want anyone to think we met, and it's been easy 'cause if that's someone's expectation of a relationship and certainly a marriage, it's a bad expectation to have."
During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Kristen Bell also opened up about working on their marriage. "The reality is, if you’re living with one human being — I don’t care if it’s your partner or your husband or your wife or whoever it is, your roommate — you need to brush up on your toolbox," Bell said. "Because you will find that person annoying. Relationships take work."
So there it is, it seems as if Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard are neither in a three-way marriage nor an open relationship, and considering how open they are with their fans, it's reasonable to believe that if they were — they would definitely share it.