Dax Shepard has left fans equal parts amused and stunned after sharing an explicit (though strategically censored) photo of his wife, Kristen Bell, on Instagram. The post, which went out to his four million followers, celebrates Bell’s recent Emmy nomination in a way that only Shepard could get away with.
The couple, who’ve been together for 17 years and married since October 2013, are known for their candid and often hilarious dynamic online. But this latest move took things to a whole new level.
Bell was recently nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2025 Emmy Awards for her lead role in Nobody Wants This, per Netflix. To mark the occasion, Shepard posted a cheeky snapshot of Bell fully nude in their backyard, save for a pair of eye-catching bright blue knee-high socks. While her private areas were censored, the image still caught many fans off guard.
“People might not know everything that happens behind the scenes in order to create an Emmy nominated performance like Kristen’s,” the celebrity dad wrote in the caption. “This may or may not have been a part of her training, but it felt right. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!”
The comments section exploded with reactions ranging from laughter to disbelief.
Gwyneth Paltrow chimed in with a simple, “Oh my God, Dax.” Another user joked, “She’s not naked people… she CLEARLY has socks on! God forbid a girl have a hobby.” A third added: “When you want to feel free, but your toes still aren’t ready for that level of commitment.”
Bell’s performance in Nobody Wants This didn’t just resonate with voters, it apparently sparked some friendly envy from her husband, thanks to her palpable on-screen chemistry with co-star Adam Brody.
At the New Yorker Festival shortly after the show’s release, Shepard was asked about his own romantic chemistry with Bell. As PEOPLE reported, Shepard’s response caught the audience off guard.
“Not as good as her and Brody,” he admitted. Referring to a particularly passionate scene between the two characters, Shepard added: “My friend… we watched that scene together, the kissing scene, which I’d argue is the very best kissing scene ever, ever put on film.
“And my best friend, Aaron, from childhood, he goes, ‘Does she ever kiss you like that?’ No, I didn’t even know she could kiss like that.”
While Shepard’s candid commentary and NSFW post raised some eyebrows, most fans saw it as a classic move from the unfiltered duo. And judging by Bell’s Emmy nomination (and the internet’s reaction) it seems Nobody Wants This is definitely a show that everyone’s talking about.