Kristen Bell has been hit with criticism online after posting an anniversary tribute to husband Dax Shepard that some have interpreted as a flippant allusion to domestic violence.
On Saturday, the “Nobody Wants This” actor shared a photo on Instagram showing her and Shepard sharing a sweet embrace.
“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 in the caption of her post.
As of Monday afternoon, the post had drawn a plethora of comments, with some pointing out that Bell’s caption felt particularly ill-timed in October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“Not funny at all. What kind of man says that to his wife? Oh wait, I know exactly what kind,” one person wrote on Instagram. “Get out now, Kristen.”
Added another: “Everyone who thinks this is funny: talk to a DV survivor or the loved one of a DV who was murdered. Please think about the impact you are having.”
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Others ― including some of Bell’s famous friends ― suggested her words weren’t intended to be taken literally.
“Oh man. We are laughing so hard!!!!” actor Mary Steenburgen wrote.
Added actor Timothy Simons, who is one of Bell’s “Nobody Wants This” co-stars: “This is legitimately very sweet.”
HuffPost reached out to a representative for Bell seeking comment on her remarks but did not immediately hear back.
Bell and Shepard have been married since 2013 and share daughters Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 10.
The A-list pair are no stranger to raising eyebrows on social media, particularly when it comes to candid revelations about their relationship.
In July, Shepard celebrated his wife’s Emmy Award nomination ― for her portrayal of Joanne on “Nobody Wants This” ― by posting a photo of her doing yoga naked, save for a pair of knee-high socks.
“People might not know everything that happens behind the scenes in order to create an Emmy nominated performance like Kristen’s,” he wrote in the caption. “This may or may not have been a part of her training, but it felt right.”
Appearing on Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast last month, Bell said she wished she’d “butterflied around a little bit more” in terms of her romantic experiences before tying the knot with her husband.
Her remarks prompted Shepard to clarify: “She was very sexually active, and she wishes she was even more sexually active.”
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
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