Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell Treat Their Relationship Like a Job – Here’s Why

Celebrity couples have added pressure on their relationship from critics and fans watching their budding love. Therefore, making it work long-term in Hollywood takes serious commitment. While some couples cave under the pressures of juggling their acting careers and home life in the limelight, others find ways to ensure their relationship lasts. Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell recently shared their tips for making their almost decade of marriage work. 

Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell’s love story

Shepard and Bell are known for roles in well-known movies and shows over the years. Shepard is best known for his role in Without a Paddle, Idiocracy, and Hit and Run. He also played one of the main characters in the hit TV series Parenthood and Bless this Mess. Bell’s acting career began with stage productions before her critically acclaimed performance in her first major TV series, Veronica Mars. She then had her breakthrough film role in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Bell has appeared in several comedies since, including Couples Retreat, You Again, The Boss, and the NBC comedy series The Good Place.

While they both had worked in Hollywood for several years, the meeting at a mutual friend’s birthday party is where the couple’s love journey begins. Shortly after, in 2007, the two made their relationship official and announced their engagement in 2010. 2010 was also the same year the two shared the big screen in the hit rom-com When in Rome. 

The couple’s strong feelings for the legalization of same-sex marriage in California resulted in the delay of their wedding until after Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage was declared unconstitutional. The couple tied the knot only a few months later, on October 17, 2021. Shepard and Bell have two daughters and do their best to keep a low-key family life. 

Why does the couple treat their relationship like a job?

Shepard and Bell are both known for their comedic nature in films and shows; therefore, it may surprise some fans the seriousness they both put into their relationship. The couple commented that they treat their relationship like a job because they understand the importance of putting in the work for a successful relationship. Although many say that a relationship is hard work, they do not take the statement to heart. Shepard recently commented in an Insider article, “You do have to take it as seriously as you take your work commitments. It has to be scheduled and you have to prioritize it or it doesn’t happen.” 

The couple’s other tips for making a long-term relationship work

Sharing all life’s ups and down with a partner takes understanding and commitment. For Hollywood couples, relationships often have added stressors. Whether a couple is made up of well-known stars or the lovers just treat each other like stars, Bell and Shepard’s tips behind their successful relationship may be helpful to make a love story end happily. 

These include: never leave in the middle of a fight, always remember that sharing your life with a partner is a privilege, and try to prevent becoming contemptuous of each other. Other tips are to prioritize vulnerability, be empathetic during arguments, and always choose happiness whenever possible. While the couple share experiences as a team, they also prioritize having individual activities and interests. 

All relationships will have bumps and disagreements; therefore, Shepard and Bell openly talk about going to therapy to help maintain a healthy marriage. While many think of couples’ therapy as the last step of saving a relationship, routine sessions can help strengthen communication and understanding among couples, increasing the chances of the relationship surviving long-term.