Dax Shepard Confesses Fear That Nearly Cost Him Kristen Bell

Fame, family, and fear often make for a complicated love story, and Dax Shepard’s is no exception.

Before he met his wife, Kristen Bell, the actor and podcast host was struggling with a heartbreak that left him unsure he would ever love again.

In a revealing conversation with his ex-girlfriend, Shepard opened up about the emotional turmoil that nearly stopped him from finding happiness.

Long before Bell entered the picture, Shepard was in a nine-year relationship with Briegh Morrison.

Their breakup, while amicable, left him shaken and deeply uncertain about his future in love.

“The breakup was manageable, but for a while I did think well, I’ll never be in love with someone like that again in that way,” Shepard told Morrison during the Oct. 21 episode of his "Mom’s Car" YouTube series. “I had a deep fear, like, I don’t think I’ll ever feel the way I felt about Briegh with anybody. I was quite scared of that.”

The Armchair Expert host, now 50, described the post-breakup confusion that clouded his life.

“I felt very disoriented for a while,” he admitted per E! News. “Even though we were in an open relationship, I never felt single. What was hugely important to me from the moment we broke up was, I pray she meets someone she falls in love with.”

Shepard’s words revealed a mix of love and loss, an emotional tug-of-war between gratitude for the past and fear of what might never come again.

Despite the pain, Shepard made peace with Morrison’s new relationship and even rooted for her happiness.

“I just thought about it a lot,” he said. “I was so hopeful that you found someone that you loved a lot again. And I just remember being so happy about Brad.”

Morrison, who eventually found love with Marvel executive Brad Winderbaum, returned the same kindness when Shepard began dating Bell.

She made a conscious effort to respect their new relationship.

“I definitely felt Kristen I didn’t want to step on,” Morrison said. “I didn’t want to step on Kristen’s toes.”

Their mature and compassionate dynamic stands out in Hollywood, a place where exes rarely stay on such good terms.

While Shepard and Morrison’s friendship remained strong, it took Bell some time to adjust.

Shepard recalled his wife’s honest reaction to the unconventional bond.

“She had initially was like, ‘This is really wild. I'm not friends with any of my exes. I don't hang out with any,’” he shared. “And I'm like, ‘I'm friends with all mine pretty much.’”

Shepard, who shares two daughters, Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 11, with Bell, has always been transparent about his complicated past.

However, for Bell, that openness became a cornerstone of their marriage.

Looking back, Shepard sees the parallels between his ex and his wife as a source of comfort and respect.

“Something that you guys [both] have that I value so much is I think you two above any other people I've ever met, you have your opinions and your position, but you're really able to listen to another point of view and consider it and integrate it,” he said.

He admitted, “Neither of you guys are, like, stuck. You’re very fluid. For me it’s an imperative quality.”

After more than a decade of marriage to Bell, Shepard’s appreciation for both women shines through.

“I admire both of you so much, and I realize that’s a rare thing to get in a partner, and I like you so much,” he added. “You’re just one of the greats of all time. I’m glad our lives worked out so well.”

From heartbreak to healing, Shepard’s story proves that even deep fear can lead to something extraordinary when one is brave enough to love again.

Shepard's comments come amid the backlash Bell is receiving after sharing an anniversary post that many fans called “insensitive.”

The 45-year-old actress posted a photo of herself with Shepard to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary, writing, “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.’”

The joke immediately sparked outrage, with critics calling it tone-deaf, particularly since October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

One fan wrote, “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 echoed the sentiment, saying the post wasn’t funny and showed poor judgment.

“Domestic violence isn’t a joke. Domestic violence and violence against women aren't jokes, Kristen,” one user commented.

Another added, “Bragging about not being murdered by your husband isn’t cute.”

Bell has since disabled comments on the post, but the backlash continues to grow across social media.