Who Is Monica Padman, Dax Shepard And Kristen Bell's 'Best Friend'?

Actors Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell tied the knot back in 2013, and throughout the years, there have been some weird things about their marriage that are difficult to ignore. One of the arguably oddest things about it is Shepard and Bell's close relationship with fellow actor Monica Padman, their best friend and former nanny, who also co-created and co-hosts the "Armchair Expert" podcast with Shepard. During an appearance with Shepard on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in June 2021, Padman even went so far as to jokingly refer to their dynamic with Bell as a "three-way marriage." So, what exactly does she mean by that, and what's her deal in general?

Well, for starters, Shepard shared the truth about his relationship with Padman during their dual interview with Jimmy Kimmel, making it perfectly clear that neither he nor Bell had any sort of physical relationship with the "Armchair Expert" co-host. "Unfortunately not," the "Zathura" star said, adding, "It's all the responsibilities of two wives and none of the sex." Padman then humorously added, "Yet." Shepard further joked that, while he and Bell want Padman to be able to find someone of her own, their marriage "would fall apart without her."

Indeed, Padman seems almost attached at the hip to Shepard and Bell. On that note, an alleged insider speaking to the Daily Mail in March 2026 claimed that Padman's friends were concerned that she had become "too involved" in Shepard and Bell's lives. Padman had even started living with the couple and their kids when COVID hit in 2020. To be fair, though, Padman did tell Kimmel in 2021 that this arrangement only lasted one month. She quipped that their "three-way marriage" had "ended in divorce" after her share of the household responsibilities reached "critical mass" when Bell fell ill and Shephard broke his hand.

Beyond her role on the "Armchair Expert" podcast with Dax Shepard, Monica Padman has been acting in Hollywood since 2010, typically playing one-off characters in various TV shows. Her first known acting credit came in a Season 2 episode of "Drop Dead Diva." She's since appeared in one episode each of "House of Lies," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Good Place," and "Bless This Mess," with the latter two starring Kristen Bell and Shepard himself, respectively. Padman also landed a three-episode gig on the Ed Helms-led Peacock sitcom "Rutherford Falls" from 2021 to 2022.

Over the years, Padman has also found work as a producer, most notably on the TV special "#KidsTogether: The Nickelodeon Town Hall," the Shepard and Bell-hosted NBC game show "Family Game Night," and Bell's own web series, "Momsplaining." Her work on "Momsplaining" even earned her and the rest of the team behind the show an Emmy nomination in 2019.

Shepard's remark on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" about Padman hopefully finding a partner to call her own one day does have some basis in reality. In addition to "Armchair Expert," Padman also launched a podcast in 2020 called "Monica & Jess Love Boys," in which she speaks frankly about how dating wasn't a priority for her for much of her life. At the time of the podcast's launch, the actor and podcast host had never been in a serious relationship. From the sound of things with Bell and Shepard, though, she's at least had a trial run at married life.