Kristen Bell says early relationship with Dax Shepard was ‘toxic’

Sept. 27 (UPI) — Kristen Bell says she had a “toxic” relationship with husband Dax Shepard when they first started dating.

The 37-year-old actress confessed on Wednesday’s episode of Harry that she used to have dramatic fights with Shepard until the actor asked her to change her behavior for the sake of their relationship.

“When we first met, we fell madly in love and I loved the dramatic exit. There is nothing I craved more,” Bell admitted to host Harry Connick, Jr.

“We’d get in a fight because we would fight a lot, and I’d yell something, then I’d slam the bedroom door, then I’d slam the front door, then I’d get in my car, then I’d skid out the driveway and I would sit around the corner in my car and it felt so good,” she recalled. “I realized how incredibly toxic it was only after he pointed it out.”

Bell said Shepard told her three months into their relationship that he would no longer allow her to leave the house during fights. She was initially allowed to leave the room but not the house, but was later banned from leaving the room.

“I was like, ‘What?’ He’s like, ‘You can’t do that,’” the actress said of her habit of storming off. “He was like, ‘No, I have more respect for myself. I love you but I’m not going to do that my whole life.’”

“I always thought I was [a good fighter] because I won,” she confessed. “He was like, ‘No, people can’t do that. Our marriage won’t survive.’ And everything he was saying was making so much sense and I was like, ‘Damn, this guy.’”

Bell and Shepard ultimately married in October 2013 after six years of dating. The couple, who share daughters Lincoln and Delta, co-starred together in the movie CHiPs this year.

“She gives me a great rate,” Shepard joked of working with Bell in an interview with Variety in March. “She’s my favorite actor. She’s perfect on every take. It’s very annoying.”