The Story Behind How Bruce Willis Influenced One Of Kristen Bell’s ‘Favorite Things About’ Her Husband Dax Shepard
Bruce Willis remains a beloved figure within the Hollywood sphere, with fans and fellow celebrities alike having spoken highly of him over the years. Of course, it’s not just Willis’ great films that have earned him the admiration of his peers and the public at large. He’s also been commended for the kindness he’s shown people. Attributes like that can surely rub off on people, and that seemed to be the case with Dax Shepard. As Shepard’s wife, Kristen Bell, explained, he picked up a sweet habit from Willis that persists today.
Kristen Bell participated in a lovely chat with friend and fellow actor Adam Scott as part of Variety’s Actors on Actors series (which is on YouTube). What made the conversation so delightful is that they not only discuss their work but their personal relationship. Early on, Scott brought up Dax Shepard (who he’s also friendly with) and made note of his generosity. Bell eventually recalled how they all recently went out for burgers and, when Scott – who offered to pay, said he didn’t have enough cash, Shepard swiftly stepped in.
As the Severance star put it, Shepard dropped “like eight times the amount of the check on the table.” Bell initially joked that her hubby does that to “flirt” with her, but that’s truly one of her “favorite things about” him. She then went on to explain how Bruce Willis played a role in shaping Shepard’s giving spirit:
But that’s also one of his favorite things to do, and my favorite things about him. When he was coming up, and he had spent some time socially with Bruce Willis, and he said that he saw Bruce tipping a $100 to everyone — a driver, a valet, a server, anyone, a guy who carried his bags. And [Dax] thought, ‘That is so cool that someone who had a very lucky life is just handing out little presents to everyone.’ And he said he wanted to be that way.
It’s sweet hearing about Bruce Willis’ unselfish nature, but what I really love is the way in which Dax Shepard apparently views it in his mind. The thought of a major actor like the Die Hard icon giving “little presents” to people as he sees fit simply brings a smile to my face. As previously alluded to, this is far from the first time that the actor’s considerate nature has been mentioned. Willis’ Sixth Sense co-star, Haley Joel Osment, spoke about how he was generous with his time on set. Veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer also revealed how Willis treated the Armageddon crew to regular cash drawings.
Dax Shepard certainly picked up the right kind of habit from a fellow actor, and I love that Kristen Bell finds that so attractive. Both Bell and Shepard – who married in 2013 and share two daughters – have been incredibly open about each other and aspects of their relationship. For instance, amid the COVID lockdown, the couple admitted that they weren’t getting along in isolation. Ironically, Shepard also addressed fans’ assumptions that his wife pays for everything and, based on what we know now, that’s definitely not the case.
It honestly does my heart well to hear so many people praise Bruce Willis following his retirement from acting. Unfortunately, in 2022, Willis’ family announced that he would leave his profession due to being diagnosed with aphasia. His condition was further clarified to be frontotemporal dementia. It’s honestly heartwrenching that Willis is battling the disease and that his wife, Emma Heming, has faced challenges while caring for him. All the while, a story like Kristen Bell’s could help ensure that Willis’ goodwill is long remembered.
