Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard have denied having an open marriage or hosting swinger parties, even as they’ve publicly questioned whether monogamy comes naturally and discussed attraction to other people.
“I’m quite positive we are not meant to be monogamous. It’s difficult, and it requires a lot of attention, vulnerability, and openness.” — Kristen Bell
Their comments have included the idea that a partner’s one-night stand wouldn’t necessarily bother them. Both have said their own marriage is monogamous. Shepard’s experience with an open relationship belongs to his life before Bell: that relationship lasted 9 years.
Bell and Shepard met in 2007, married in 2013 and have 2 daughters. They’ve spoken publicly about couples therapy, arguments and the work their relationship requires.
Bell has also explained why she enjoys seeing Shepard compliment other women. On the October 26 episode of Armchair Expert, she described him praising restaurant workers’ eyes or eyelashes.
When co-host Monica Padman suggested he was flirting with the staff, Bell said, “That’s flirting with me because he just made someone else feel good.”