Dax Shepardmade his commitment toKristen Bellvery clear from early on in their relationship.
On Monday, the actor, 44, opened up during his podcastThe Armchair Expertto guestChris D’Eliaabout a time where he had to make a choice between his relationship and career.
“Just recently for me — Kristen was the first person [that] a few years in, basically that choice was presented to me and I chose her which blew my mind,” Shepard told D’Eliaon the podcast.
“I got offeredParenthood —I hadn’t acted in a long time, no one was offering me anything and they said, ‘This show shoots in Philadelphia’ and I said, ‘There’s no way I can be in this relationship and move to Philadelphia,'” the actor explained.
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He also noted how he “very much wanted to be on that show” and found the idea of a “weird, separate life in Philadelphia” to be “very appealing.”
Things ultimately worked out for the actor when NBC moved the show’s filming spot to Los Angeles, which led Shepard to officially take on the role of lovably charismatic and at times, partially self-serving Braverman sibling.
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He was also able to maintain his relationship with Bell, 38, who he’s been with for nearly 12 years.
“What’s so ironic is you make a decision like that, and then weirdly, you’re rewarded,” he said.
Since that first big decision, the pair has faced other challenges and they’re the first to admit their time together has beenfilled with ups and downs.
“We definitely had to work really hard at being a couple because we’re both incredibly, painfully stubborn, and we’re pretty much opposites,” Shepard recently told PEOPLE in the current issue’s cover story.
Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell.Jeff Lipsky
After crossing paths briefly at a dinner party in 2007, the couple — who wed in 2013 and have two daughters, Lincoln, 5, and Delta, 4 — reconnected weeks later at a hockey game where “the sparks were flying,” saysThe Ranchstar.
Not quite ready to settle down at the time,Shepard broke up with Bellmonths into their relationship. But just a few days later, the stars reunited after Shepard changed his mind.
“I was like, ‘That’s the best personality I’ve ever seen on a woman. I need to be around it,” recalled Shepard. “I want to be around it when I’m 80, but how?”
The pair also had to compromise about marriage — something that Shepard didn’t initially believe in, leading theBad Momsactress to accept the fact she would never be his wife.
Christopher Polk
But Shepard knew how much marriage meant to Bell and decided to, once again, show his commitment to her.
“Ultimately, I was like, ‘Well, I’m doing it because my partner wants that,” he explains aboutproposing in 2009. “Forget the tradition or history of marriage as a concept, you knowing I was doing something that I didn’t want to do because I loved you was a big sign for you.”
source: people.com
