Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard’s daughters weren’t happy when they learned of their 2007 breakup and stood by their father.
The couple discussed how their sons Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 10, reacted to their on-screen breakup during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Tuesday to promote their 2012 film “Hit and Run,” which is available on Netflix.
The independent film, written by Shepard, is loosely based on his relationship with Bell and tells the story of their relationship and brief breakup.
“I think anyone who has kids knows that kids rarely show any interest in us, but they wanted to see this movie that we made because we love each other so much,” Shepherd explained, adding that at the time they filmed the project, they “didn’t have kids, so we had nothing to do but love each other.”
Bell explained that she loved seeing scenes where their characters were young and in love and “starting to trust each other,” and then said she didn’t like the parts of the film where they break up.
“They were very upset,” Shepard agreed. “And what made me happy was that they were angry at my mother, not me.”
He continued, jokingly, “They thought the mother was a bitch. They thought the father was a good kid with a bad past and she would overlook it. And I agree.”
But their little ones really enjoyed the whole movie, even though it was “very inappropriate.”
“They loved it,” Shepard said, adding, “This was a great litmus test for our kids. They have a great sense of humor. They’re going to work hard on the paint, our kids.”
The Frozen star, 45, revealed that she and her husband, 50, hadn’t seen the movie in “forever.”
Shepard believes the film has “aged like Bordeaux.”
The “Armchair Expert” host and Bell met in 2007 at an intimate birthday dinner for “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” producer Shona Robertson. Two weeks later, the two met by chance at a Detroit Red Wings hockey game and hit it off because they were both from Michigan.
Inspired by their moment of inspiration, Shepard contacted Robertson for Bell’s phone number.
The two dated for three months until Shepard called off the relationship because she wasn’t ready to settle down.
“He sat me down and said, ‘Not right now. I think you’re great, but I’m still dating other people,'” Bell revealed in a 2017 interview with PopSugar.
“Despite her disappointment, the actress said she respected the honesty it took for Shepard to be honest about how he felt.”
However, their separation did not last long, and Shepard crawled back after only four days apart.
“He called me and said, ‘I don’t know what I’m thinking. I’ve been with other people, but they’re not as interesting as you, and I don’t know what I’m doing,’ so he came back,” Bell said.
By 2009, they were engaged and four years later their first child was born.
The two married on October 17, 2013, and their second child was born the following year.
