Dax Shepard Credits Jason Bateman For Encouraging Him To Propose To Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard are popular celebrity actors that have been together for over 11 years and married for over 7 years, a feat that is almost very difficult to find or achieve in Hollywood.

The “Veronica Mars” actress and “Armchair Expert” podcast host have been very real and open about their relationship, including the influence of Jason Bateman in their marriage and family. Shepard has severally credited Bateman for encouraging him to take the big step of proposing to Bell and also, for pushing him to get her pregnant.

According to Shepard, there was a time when he was very uncertain about the future of his relationship with Bell, and it took the advice and motivation of Bateman to clear up his thoughts and make him finally propose to Bell.

He also later pushed him to expand their family to include their beautiful children. Keep scrolling for more details.

Bell and Shepard first met at a dinner that was hosted by a mutual friend. At the time of their first meeting, both had just recently ended long-term relationships and didn't take much notice of each other.

The actress even stated later that there were no sparks between them and that she had had no idea who he was. The two later met again at a Hockey game, at which point sparks flew, they began flirting, and their relationship took off.

However, the duo did not have an easy start to their relationship as it was riddled with fights, yelling, and a lot of toxicity, according to what the couple later shared with the press.

Just three months after they began dating, Shepard broke up with Bell and as she recalled to PopSugar later in 2017, "He sat me down and said, 'I can't have this right now. I think you're wonderful, but I am still dating other people.'

However, their breakup didn't last long at all, as just a few days later, Shepard returned to her after the realization that he had made a big error, and their relationship kicked off again.

In a recent interview, Shepard opened up about his friendship with Bateman and how he has been a major player in his life and relationship with Bell.

He credited the actor with inspiring and pushing him to propose to Bell. He said that in 2009, Bateman who starred in “Couples Retreat” with Bell told him to “stop fuc**** around and marry Kristen.”

Not long after this, Shepard proposed to Bell, who was at that point his longtime girlfriend and she joyfully agreed to marry him.

They later went on to finally tie the knot in October of 2013 in a small Beverly Hills courthouse that cost them less than $200.

Shepard again credited Bateman with pushing him to grow his family by getting Bell pregnant. The friends were at the Baby Buggy’s Inaugural LA Fatherhood Lunch in Beverly Hills and Shepard spoke to PEOPLE about Bateman’s influence in the expansion of his family.

He said; “You immediately transitioned into ‘Get her pregnant, I would say you were at the very forefront of cracking the whip on that. And you were dead right.”

Fans of the couple should be very thankful to Bateman for that, as his influence has worked twice and the couple has given birth to two beautiful daughters, Lincoln Bell and Delta Bell.

When asked about his daughters, Shepard has never hesitated to boast about them, such as in his conversation with PEOPLE where he boasted about Lincoln’s early intelligence and her pre-bed dancing skills.

In the years that they’ve been married, Bell and Shepard have grown as a couple, had their daughters, launched a business together, worked on several projects, and launched their TV show called “Family Game Fight.”

They have also spoken up about their journey as a couple; admitting to being in couples therapy to improve on themselves and work on their issues.

Bell has also spoken about how they managed to work through the difference in their love languages, how they made the effort to be there for one another through their differences and in the most important ways.

There is also the rough patch the couple went through with Shepard’s experience with addiction. Despite all these, the pair managed to make it work and they have come a very long way.

They now serve as an inspiration to many other Hollywood couples, singles, and their fans.