Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress. Beginning her acting career by starring in stage productions while attending the
Tisch School of the Arts at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
, she made her
Broadway stage debut as
Becky Thatcher in the comedy musical ''
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' and appeared in a Broadway revival of ''
The Crucible'' the following year. She later appeared in the action thriller film ''
Spartan'' (2004) and received praise for her performance in the television drama film ''
Gracie's Choice
''Gracie's Choice: A Story of Love'' is a 2004 American drama film that premiered on Lifetime. It is written by Joyce Eliason; directed by Peter Werner; and stars Kristen Bell, Anne Heche, Diane Ladd, and Kristin Fairlie.
Plot
Gracie is a 17-y ...
'' (2004).
Her first major role was
the title character in the teen
noir drama television series ''
Veronica Mars
''Veronica Mars'' is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas. The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California, and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character. The series pr ...
'' (2004–2007), receiving critical acclaim and a
Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television for her performance. She reprised the
eponym
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
ous role in the
2014 film and the
2019 revival. During her time on ''Veronica Mars'', Bell starred as Mary Lane in the musical film ''
Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical'' (2005), a reprise of the role she had played in the New York
musical of the same name.
Bell starred as
Elle Bishop in the superhero drama series ''
Heroes'' from 2007 to 2008. She voiced the titular narrator in the teen drama series ''
Gossip Girl'', reprising the role in the
2021 sequel. Bell also starred as Jeannie van der Hooven, the female lead on the
Showtime comedy series ''
House of Lies''. She starred in the lead role of Eleanor Shellstrop on the critically acclaimed
NBC comedy series ''
The Good Place'', receiving a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
nomination for her role. In addition, Bell portrayed the lead role in streaming series ''
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window''.
In film, she had her major breakout film role as the title character in ''
Forgetting Sarah Marshall'' (2008). She has since appeared in a number of comedy films, including ''
Couples Retreat
''Couples Retreat'' is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Billingsley marking his directorial debut, and written by Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, and Dana Fox. Vaughn and Favreau star with Jason Bateman, Faizon Love, Kristin Davi ...
'' (2009), ''
When in Rome'' (2010), ''
You Again'' (2010), ''
The Boss'' (2016), ''
Bad Moms'' (2016), and ''
A Bad Moms Christmas'' (2017). Bell garnered further recognition for voicing
Princess Anna in the Disney animated films ''
Frozen'' (2013), ''
Ralph Breaks the Internet
''Ralph Breaks the Internet'' is a 2018 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The 57th animated film produced by the studio and the sequel t ...
'' (2018), and ''
Frozen II'' (2019).
Early life and family
Bell was born on July 18, 1980, in
Huntington Woods, Michigan
Huntington Woods is a city in Oakland County, Michigan in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Metro Detroit. The population was 6,238 at the 2010 census.
Huntington Woods is situated along the Woodward Corridor ( M-1) an ...
, a suburb of
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, where she was raised. Her mother, Lorelei (''née'' Frygier), is a
registered nurse
A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to o ...
, and her father, Tom Bell, works as a
television news
News broadcasting is the medium of broadcasting various news events and other information via television, radio, or the internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or tel ...
director in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
, Nevada.
Her parents divorced when she was two years old. Bell has two stepsisters from her father's second marriage, and three stepsisters and a stepbrother from her mother's second marriage. Her mother is of Polish descent, and her father has German, Scottish and Irish ancestry.
Bell stated that she did not like her first name at the age of four. Bell's mother convinced her to go by her middle name, Anne, instead; she used the name Annie until high school.
Just before her first year of high school, Bell's parents decided to remove her from the
public school system.
[ ] She attended
Shrine Catholic High School in nearby
Royal Oak, where she took part in the drama and music club. Before attending Shrine, she attended Burton Elementary School and Norup Middle School (now known as Norup International School), a part of the
Berkley School District
Berkley School District is a United States school district serving the entirety of Berkley, Huntington Woods, and the northern portion of Oak Park, in the state of Michigan. The superintendent is Scott Francis. Created in 1840, the district cu ...
. During her time at the school, she won the starring role in the school's 1997 production of ''
The Wizard of Oz'', as
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum as the protagonist in many of his ''Oz'' novels. She first appears in Baum's classic 1900 children's novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and reappears in most of it ...
, and also appeared in productions of ''
Fiddler on the Roof
''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in or around 1905. It is based on ''Tevye and his Daughters'' (or ''Tevye the ...
'' (1995), ''
Lady, Be Good
''Linda, Be Good'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and starring Elyse Knox, John Hubbard and Marie Wilson. The film's sets were designed by the art director Lewis H. Creber.Stephens p.65
Sidney W. Pink took the fi ...
'' (1996), and ''
Li'l Abner
''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written and drawn b ...
'' (1998). In 1998, the year she graduated, Bell was named the yearbook's "Best Looking Girl" by senior class vote.
Shortly after her high school graduation, Bell moved to New York City to attend
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
's
Tisch School of the Arts,
studying musical theater. In 2002, during her senior year, Bell left a few credits shy of graduating
to take a role in the Broadway musical version of ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer''.
Career
1992–2003: Early work
In 1992, Bell went to her first audition and won a dual role as a banana and a tree
in a suburban Detroit theater's production of ''
Raggedy Ann and Andy
Raggedy Ann is a character created by American writer Johnny Gruelle (1880–1938) that appeared in a series of books he wrote and illustrated for young children. Raggedy Ann is a rag doll with red yarn for hair and a triangle nose. Gruelle r ...
''.
Her mother had established her with an agent before Bell was 13, which allowed her to appear in newspaper advertisements for several Detroit retailers and television commercials. She also began private acting lessons.
In 1998, she appeared with an uncredited role in the locally filmed movie ''
Polish Wedding''.
In 2001, Bell left New York University to play a role as
Becky Thatcher in the short-lived Broadway musical of ''
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer''. That same year, she made her credited film debut in ''
Pootie Tang''. Her one line in the film was cut, and her appearance exists only as a scene shown during the credit sequence.
Additionally, she auditioned for the television series ''
Smallville
''Smallville'' is an American superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produced by Millar/G ...
'' for the role of
Chloe Sullivan, which was eventually won by
Allison Mack.
In 2002, she appeared in the Broadway revival of ''
The Crucible'' with
Liam Neeson
William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on '' Th ...
,
Angela Bettis
Angela Marie Bettis (born January 9, 1973) is an American actress, film producer, and director. Following her breakthrough role as Janet Webber in the drama film '' Girl, Interrupted'' (1999), she earned acclaim for her portrayals of Carrietta W ...
and
Laura Linney
Laura Leggett Linney (born February 5, 1964) is an American actress. Having studied acting at Juilliard School (1986-1990), she became known for her complex and multilayered performances on stage and screen. She has received various accolades, ...
. Bell then moved to Los Angeles in 2002 because of her friendship with writers
Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney,
and appeared in a handful of television shows as a special guest, finding trouble gaining a recurring role in a television series. Bell said she "tested like eight times and booked nothing and every show
hetested for got picked up", including auditions for ''
Skin
Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation.
Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...
'' and a
Norm Macdonald
Norman Gene MacdonaldThe capitalization of Norm Macdonald's surname has been inconsistently reported in publications such as ''TV Guide''. Books that discuss him, such as ''Shales'' (2003) and Crawford' (2000), as well as other sources such as ...
series.
In 2003, Bell appeared in FX's "The Shield," season 2, episode 1, which aired on January 7, 2003. She also co-starred in the film "The King and Queen of Moonlight Bay," playing the role of Alison, a 17-year old girl who travels to Arizona to reconnect with the father that abandoned her family when Alison was only 5 years old.
2004–2006: ''Veronica Mars'' and other roles
In 2004, Bell earned acclaim for her starring role in the
Lifetime television film ''
Gracie's Choice
''Gracie's Choice: A Story of Love'' is a 2004 American drama film that premiered on Lifetime. It is written by Joyce Eliason; directed by Peter Werner; and stars Kristen Bell, Anne Heche, Diane Ladd, and Kristin Fairlie.
Plot
Gracie is a 17-y ...
'', which received one of the network's highest ratings.
She made her debut in a theatrically released film with
David Mamet
David Alan Mamet (; born November 30, 1947) is an American playwright, filmmaker, and author. He won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony nominations for his plays ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' (1984) and '' Speed-the-Plow'' (1988). He first gained cri ...
's action thriller ''
Spartan'', as Laura Newton, the kidnapped daughter of the U.S. president, acting alongside
Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer (born December 31, 1959) is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer found fame after appearances in comedy films, starting with ''Top Secret!'' (1984) and ''Real Genius'' (1985), as well as the military action film ...
. Bell also guest-starred on the
HBO period drama series ''
Deadwood'', in a two-episode story arc ("
Bullock Returns to the Camp" and "
Suffer the Little Children
"Suffer the Little Children" is a horror short story by American writer Stephen King. It was first published by ''Cavalier'' in February 1972. The story was later published as part of the collection ''Nightmares & Dreamscapes'' in 1993. In the ...
").
![Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Kristen_Bell_as_Veronica_Mars_2.jpg)
At 24, she won the role of the title character in the
UPN
The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that launched on January 16, 1995. It was originally owned by Chris-Craft Industries' United Television. Viacom (through its Paramount Television unit, which pr ...
noir drama series ''
Veronica Mars
''Veronica Mars'' is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas. The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California, and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character. The series pr ...
'', which was launched in the fall of 2004. Created by
Rob Thomas, the series starred Bell as the seventeen-year-old anti-establishment high school student and private detective. Bell drew on the parallels between the character of Veronica and her own life, since Bell's parents had divorced and her best friend had also died.
The series earned acclaim from critics. Bell's performance earned her the
Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television and a nomination for the
TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama
The TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama is an award given by the Television Critics Association.
Winners and nominees
Multiple wins
;3 wins
* James Gandolfini (consecutive)
;2 wins
* Andre Braugher (consecutive)
* Jon Hamm
* Hugh Lau ...
, among numerous others. Some critics asserted that her performance was overlooked, and deserved consideration for a
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
.
Aside from working on ''Veronica Mars'', Bell starred in ''
Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical'', reprising the role she played in the short-lived 2001
Off-Broadway musical. The musical was a spoof of the
1936 exploitation film of the same name. ''Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical'' debuted on the
Showtime network on April 16, 2005. Also in April, Bell starred as Gracie in ''
Fifty Pills
''Fifty Pills'' (also known as ''50 Pills'') is the debut comedy film of director Theo Avgerinos, which premiered at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival.
Plot
After being blamed for a party which he didn't throw or have any knowledge of, that resulte ...
'', an entry for the
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. Tribeca was f ...
. She appeared in a short independent film called ''The Receipt'' and the horror film ''Roman'', which was directed by her ''Crucible'' co-star Angela Bettis. Released on August 11, 2006, ''
Pulse
In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the cardiac cycle (heartbeat) by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the n ...
'' starred Bell as the lead Mattie. A remake of the Japanese horror film ''
Kairo
Kairo may refer to:
* Kairo (band), Mexican boy band from 1993 to 1999 with Eduardo Verástegui as member until 1996
* ''Kairo'' (video game), independently published exploration video game made by Richard Perrin
* ''Kairo'' (film), A.K.A. ''Pul ...
'', the film grossed US$27.9 million worldwide but garnered negative response from critics. Frank Scheck of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' commented, "despite the starring presence of Kristen Bell,
heyoung actress has far less interesting material to work with here than she does as
he character
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
'Veronica Mars.'"
2007–2011: Film breakthrough and ''Gossip Girl''
''Veronica Mars'' continued on UPN for a second season; for the third season, the show was renewed and appeared on the newly created
The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
. On January 19, 2007, CW Entertainment President
Dawn Ostroff
Dawn Ostroff is an American businesswoman. She is the chief content officer and advertising business officer of Spotify, and the former president of entertainment of The CW and former president of Condé Nast Entertainment.
Early life and educ ...
announced that while she was pleased with the gradual improvement of ''Veronica Mars'' ratings, the series would be put on hiatus after February sweeps to air a new reality series, ''
Pussycat Dolls Present
''Pussycat Dolls Present'' is an American reality television series that premiered on March 6, 2007 on The CW, and took place over the course of eight weeks. It was a joint venture between Ken Mok's 10 by 10 Entertainment, Pussycat LLC, and Warne ...
''. On May 17, 2007, Ostroff announced the cancelation of the series.
A two-hour series finale aired in the United States on May 22, 2007, and on June 11, 2007, Thomas officially announced in an email to ''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news.
The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008.
Corpora ...
'' Michael Ausiello that ''Veronica Mars'' had been canceled by the CW. A ''Veronica Mars'' feature film and comic book series continuation had been discussed, and for a short time there was talk of another collaboration between Bell and creator Thomas that would be unrelated to the ''Veronica Mars'' series.
Following the cancelation of ''Veronica Mars'', Bell voiced interest in appearing on ''Heroes'' because she was a fan.
On July 29, 2007, during a train ride back to Los Angeles from the
San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
with ''Heroes'' actors
Zachary Quinto
Zachary John Quinto (; born June 2, 1977) is an American actor and film producer. He is known for his roles as Sylar, the primary antagonist from the science fiction drama series '' Heroes'' (2006–2010); Spock in the film ''Star Trek'' (2009) ...
and
Masi Oka, and writers from the series, the writers had mentioned that if she "ever want
dto come on ''Heroes'', give us
ritersa call," to which Bell said she would "love to".
Meanwhile, there were discussions about a role on ''
Lost
Lost may refer to getting lost, or to:
Geography
*Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland
* Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US
History
*Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
'', but Bell turned down the role
[Jensen, Jeff, Lindelof, Damon & Cuse, Carlton,]
'Lost' producers – 5
", ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
''. Retrieved April 11, 2009. of
Charlotte Staples Lewis. Bell portrayed
Elle Bishop on ''Heroes'', a "mysterious young lady" with an "awesome power".
She did not have to audition for the role of Elle,
who made her first appearance in an October 2007 episode, and appeared in twelve episodes during the run of the series.
The casting of Bell, ''Heroes'' creator
Tim Kring
Richard Timothy Kring (born July 9, 1957) is an American screenwriter and television producer, best known for his creation of the drama series '' Strange World'', ''Crossing Jordan'', '' Heroes'', and ''Touch''.
Early life
Kring was born in El D ...
explained, "was not easy to pull off", but because of the large ensemble cast of the series and multiple
story arc
A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vid ...
s, "we found a way to jump into a small window in
ell'sschedule."
Bell lent her voice to the CW series ''
Gossip Girl'': she voiced the title character in every episode of the series, appearing in person only for a surprise cameo in the final episode, portraying herself.
![Kristen Bell at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Kristen_Bell_at_the_2008_Tribeca_Film_Festival.JPG)
Shortly after the cancelation of ''Veronica Mars'' in early 2007, Bell filmed on location in
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
for a starring role as the title character in the
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow (; born December 6, 1967) is an American comedian, director, producer, and screenwriter, best known for his work in comedy and drama films. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, through which he produced and directed the films ' ...
comedy ''
Forgetting Sarah Marshall''. She regarded the
improvisational comedy
Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted: created spontaneously by the performers. In its purest form, the dialogue, a ...
in the film as "a lovely experience".
The film, written by and also starring
Jason Segel
Jason Jordan Segel ( ; born January 18, 1980) is an American actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Marshall Eriksen in the CBS sitcom '' How I Met Your Mother'', as well as for his work with director and ...
, was released theatrically on April 18, 2008, and greatly increased Bell's profile. Bell lent her voice and likeness to the video game ''
Assassin's Creed'', which was released in November 2007 for consoles and April 2008 for the PC. Bell reprised her role of Lucy in ''
Assassin's Creed II
''Assassin's Creed II'' is a 2009 action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montréal and published by Ubisoft. It is the second major installment in the ''Assassin's Creed'' series, and the sequel to 2007's '' Assassin's Creed''. The g ...
'', released in November 2009, and again in ''
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', released in November 2010. In the spring of 2006, she finished filming the ''
Star Wars''-themed comedy ''
Fanboys''. Director
Kyle Newman
Kyle Newman (born March 16, 1976) is an American filmmaker, actor and New York Times bestselling author. He is known for directing ''Fanboys'', a Star Wars-themed comedy, '' Barely Lethal'' starring Hailee Steinfeld and Samuel L. Jackson for ...
received additional funding to shoot new scenes, but the busy schedules of the actors only allowed for filming in September 2007. As a result, the release was delayed until January 14, 2008. Bell also starred in the 2009 comedies ''
Serious Moonlight'', alongside
Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan (born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra; November 19, 1961) is an American actress. She began her acting career in 1981 when she made her acting debut in the drama film ''Rich and Famous''. She later joined the cast of the CBS soap oper ...
, and ''
Couples Retreat
''Couples Retreat'' is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Billingsley marking his directorial debut, and written by Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, and Dana Fox. Vaughn and Favreau star with Jason Bateman, Faizon Love, Kristin Davi ...
'', which chronicles four couples who partake in therapy sessions at a tropical island resort.
Jason Bateman played her husband. She also provided the voice for Cora in ''
Astro Boy
''Astro Boy'', known in Japan by its original name , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka. It was serialized in Kobunsha's ''Shōnen'' from 1952 to 1968. The 112 chapters were collected into 23 '' tankōbon'' ...
''. On March 31, 2008, Bell began shooting the
Mark Steven Johnson
Mark Steven Johnson (born October 30, 1964) is an American filmmaker.
Life and career
Johnson began his career writing the Warner Bros. films '' Grumpy Old Men'' and its sequel ''Grumpier Old Men''. Johnson wrote and directed two comic book bas ...
-written
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
film ''
When in Rome'' on location in Rome and New York; the film was released in 2010. Bell reprised her role as Sarah Marshall for a cameo appearance in the film ''
Get Him to the Greek
''Get Him to the Greek'' is a 2010 American comedy film written, produced and directed by Nicholas Stoller and starring Russell Brand and Jonah Hill. Released on June 4, 2010, the film is a spin-off sequel of Stoller's 2008 film '' Forgetting S ...
'', a spin-off sequel from ''Forgetting Sarah Marshall'', released June 4, 2010.
Bell co-starred alongside singers
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
and
Cher in the backstage musical film ''
Burlesque'', which was released in November 2010. She also had a cameo appearance alongside
Anna Paquin
Anna Hélène Paquin ( ; born 24 July 1982) is a New Zealand actress. Born in Winnipeg and raised in Wellington, Paquin made her acting debut portraying Flora McGrath in the romantic drama film '' The Piano'' (1993), for which she won the ...
in the slasher horror film ''
Scream 4
''Scream 4'' (stylized as ''SCRE4M'') is a 2011 American slasher film directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. Produced by Outerbanks Entertainment and distributed by Dimension Films, it is the fourth installment in the ''Scream ...
'', which was released on April 15, 2011.
2012–2019: ''Frozen'' and ''The Good Place''
In 2012, Bell starred in the family drama film ''
Big Miracle
''Big Miracle'' is a 2012 drama film directed by Ken Kwapis, and stars Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski. The film is based on Tom Rose's 1989 book '' Freeing the Whales'', which covers Operation Breakthrough, the 1988 international effort to ...
''. She has also appeared in the music video for "Madder Red" by Brooklyn
experimental rock
Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...
band
Yeasayer
Yeasayer () was an American experimental rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2006. The band consisted of Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, and Anand Wilder. They announced their split on December 19, 2019.
History Formation
The band's thr ...
. Bell portrayed
Mary Magdalene in ''The Truth & Life Dramatized Audio New Testament Bible'', a 22-hour, celebrity-voiced, dramatized audio adaptation of the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...
that uses the
RSV-CE translation.
![Kristen Bell at Frozen premiere, El Capitan Theatre](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Kristen_Bell_at_Frozen_premiere%2C_El_Capitan_Theatre.jpg)
Bell starred as Jeannie van der Hooven, the female lead on the
Showtime comedy series ''
House of Lies'', which premiered on January 8, 2012. The series ended on June 12, 2016. Bell appeared in a supporting role in the science-fiction comedy ''
Safety Not Guaranteed
''Safety Not Guaranteed'' is a 2012 American science fiction romantic comedy film directed by Colin Trevorrow and starring Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass. The picture was screened at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Waldo Salt Scr ...
'' (2012). She starred in the drama film ''
The Lifeguard
''The Lifeguard'' is a 2013 American drama produced, written, and directed by Liz W. Garcia, and starring Kristen Bell and David Lambert. The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and was released via video on demand on July 30, ...
'', written and directed by
Liz W. Garcia, which began filming in July 2012 and was released in August 2013. She also voiced Anna in ''
Frozen'', which was released on November 22, 2013. In 2013, for multiple episodes, Bell played Ingrid de Forest, an Eagleton City Councilwoman, on ''
Parks and Recreation''.
On March 13, 2013, it was confirmed that a ''
Veronica Mars
''Veronica Mars'' is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas. The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California, and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character. The series pr ...
'' film would finally be coming to fruition. Bell and series creator
Rob Thomas launched a fundraising campaign to produce the film through
Kickstarter and attained the $2 million goal in less than ten hours. The main cast members of the series all reprised their roles in the feature film. Production of the film took place during summer 2013, and it was released theatrically and on video-on-demand on March 14, 2014.
In September 2014, Bell starred with her husband,
Dax Shepard, in a commercial for the
Samsung Galaxy Tab S. It was so popular (with over 20 million
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
views) that they did another for the holiday season. The ad agency
McKinney
McKinney is a city in and the county seat of Collin County, Texas. It is Collin County's third-largest city, after Plano and Frisco. A suburb of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, McKinney is about north of Dallas.
The U.S. Census Bureau lis ...
was behind both. In 2016, Bell voiced the
sloth
Sloths are a group of Neotropical xenarthran mammals constituting the suborder Folivora, including the extant arboreal tree sloths and extinct terrestrial ground sloths. Noted for their slowness of movement, tree sloths spend most of their l ...
Priscilla in the animated comedy film ''
Zootopia
''Zootopia'' (titled ''Zootropolis'' in various regions) is a 2016 American computer-animated buddy cop action comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 55th Disney animated feature film, ...
'', and starred as Claire in the comedy film ''
The Boss''. Bell starred as Kiki in the 2016 comedy film ''
Bad Moms'', a role she reprised in the 2017 sequel, ''
A Bad Moms Christmas''. In 2016, Bell began starring as Eleanor Shellstrop in the
NBC comedy series ''
The Good Place''. For her performance, she received a nomination for the
, the
TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy The TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy is an award given by the Television Critics Association.
Winners and nominees
Multiple wins
;2 wins
* Louis C.K. (consecutive)
*Jane Kaczmarek (consecutive)
*David Hyde Pierce (consecutive)
*Jon ...
, and the
, among numerous others.
Also in 2017, she appeared in the biographical comedy-drama ''
The Disaster Artist
''The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made'' is a 2013 non-fiction book written by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell. Sestero details the troubled development and production of the 2003 cult film ''The Room,'' hi ...
'', the action comedy ''
CHiPs
''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The seri ...
'' and the comedy ''
How to Be a Latin Lover
''How to Be a Latin Lover'' is a 2017 American comedy film directed by Ken Marino, written by Chris Spain and Jon Zack and stars Eugenio Derbez, Salma Hayek, Raphael Alejandro, Raquel Welch, Rob Riggle, Rob Huebel, Rob Corddry, Renée Taylor, Li ...
''. In November 2017, she played a housewife (with
Dax Shepard as her husband) preparing for a Christmas party in
Sia
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler ( ; born 18 December 1975) is an Australian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Adelaide, she started her career as a singer in the acid jazz band Crisp in the mid-1990s. In 1997, when Crisp disbanded, she rel ...
's music video for "
Santa's Coming for Us".
In 2018, she began hosting the web series ''Momsplaining with Kristen Bell'', with episodes airing on the
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer. She starred in the sitcom ''Ellen'' from 1994 to 1998, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for " The Puppy Episode". Sh ...
video platform Ellentube. In the series, Bell gives new and expecting mothers tips about motherhood. The title of the series is a pun on the commonly used term "
mansplaining
''Mansplaining'' (a blend word of ''man'' and the informal form ''splaining'' of the gerund ''explaining'') is a pejorative term meaning (of a man) "to comment on or explain something to a woman in a condescending, overconfident, and often in ...
".
Bell later had the leading role in the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
comedy-drama film ''
Like Father
''Like Father'' is a 2018 American dramedy film written and directed by Lauren Miller, in her feature-length directorial debut. The film stars Kristen Bell, Kelsey Grammer, and Seth Rogen, and follows a woman who must bond with her estranged fat ...
''. She also voiced the character of Jade Wilson in the animated comedy film ''
Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
''Teen Titans Go! To the Movies'' is a 2018 American animated superhero comedy film based on the television series ''Teen Titans Go!'', which is based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. This film is directed by Peter Rida Mi ...
'' and reprised her voice role as Princess Anna in the animated comedy sequel film ''
Ralph Breaks the Internet
''Ralph Breaks the Internet'' is a 2018 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The 57th animated film produced by the studio and the sequel t ...
''.
On September 20, 2018,
Hulu confirmed that Bell would reprise her role of Veronica Mars in an 8-episode
fourth season of the drama series ''Veronica Mars'', which would premiere in July 2019.
In 2019, she again reprised her role of Princess Anna in the video game, ''
Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch. It is the twelfth installment in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series, and serves as a conclusion of the ...
''
and the sequel, ''
Frozen II'' which was released on November 22, 2019. Bell served as host and executive producer on the
Disney+
Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by the Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television se ...
docuseries ''
Encore!'', which premiered in November 2019. She made her directorial debut with the eighth episode of the fourth season of ''The Good Place''. The series concluded after its fourth season, airing its final episode in January 2020.
At the
25th Critics' Choice Awards
The 25th Critics' Choice Awards were presented on January 12, 2020, at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport, honoring the finest achievements of filmmaking and television programming in 2019. The ceremony was broadcast on The CW and T ...
, Bell received the #SeeHer Award, which recognizes women who "push boundaries on changing stereotypes and acknowledge the importance of authentic portrayals of women across the entertainment landscape".
2020–present
In 2020, Bell published the children's book ''The World Needs More Purple People'', which she co-wrote with
Benjamin Hart
Benjamin Hart (born 17 October 1977) is an English actor best known for his roles as Foz in the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', and as Adam Rhodes in the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours''.
Biography Acting career
Hart attended Rodboro ...
. Also in 2020, Bell voiced Molly Tillerman in the
Apple TV+
Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a small network appliance hardware that plays received media data such as video and audio to a television set or external display. Since its secon ...
animated musical comedy series ''
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated ...
'', which reunited her with ''Frozen'' co-star
Josh Gad
Joshua Ilan Gad (born February 23, 1981) is an American actor. He is known for voicing Olaf in the '' Frozen'' franchise, playing Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical '' The Book of Mormon'', and playing Le Fou in the live-action ada ...
and ''Bad Moms'' co-star
Kathryn Hahn
Kathryn Marie Hahn (born July 23, 1973) is an American actress and comedian. She began her career on television, starring as grief counselor Lily Lebowski in the NBC crime drama series ''Crossing Jordan'' (2001–2007). Hahn gained prominence ap ...
. ''Central Park'' received a two-season order from Apple and the series premiered on May 29, 2020. In June 2020, it was announced that Bell, who is white, would no longer voice the biracial character of Molly. The role would be re-cast with a black or mixed race actress, with Bell voicing a new role.
In 2021, Bell produces and voices a lead character in the
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...
animated musical pre-school series ''Do, Re, & Mi''. She also returned to narrate as the titular character of the
HBO Max
HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...
teen drama series ''
Gossip Girl
''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six sea ...
'', a soft reboot and sequel to the
2007–2012 series of the same. Bell also starred alongside
Kirby Howell-Baptiste
Kirby Howell-Baptiste (born 7 February 1987) is a British actress. She has appeared as a series regular on ''Downward Dog'' (2017), '' Killing Eve'' (2018), '' Why Women Kill'' (2019), and '' The Sandman'' (2022). Her television appearances also ...
as a pair of housewives who created a multi-million dollar coupon scam in the comedy film ''
Queenpins
''Queenpins'' is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. Ben Stiller serves as an executive producer un ...
''. The film was released to
Paramount+
Paramount+ is an American subscription video on-demand service owned by Paramount Global. The service's content is drawn primarily from the libraries of CBS Media Ventures (including CBS Studios), Paramount Media Networks (formerly Viacom Media ...
on September 10, 2021.
Her miniseries, ''
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'' was released on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
on January 28, 2022.
Bell also appeared in 2 episode of ''The Tiny Chef Show'' and serves as the show's executive producer.
In the media
In 2006 and again in 2013, Bell was selected "World's Sexiest
Vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter.
Vegetariani ...
" on
PETA's yearly poll.
She was placed No. 68 on
''Maxim'''s 2005 "Hot 100" list, No. 11 in ''Maxim''s 2006 "Hot 100" list, and No. 46 in ''Maxim''s 2007 "Hot 100" list in which she was stated to have "single-handedly saved
The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
from becoming the worst network ever". In 2006, ''Maxim'' also placed Bell at the top of the "Fall TV's Criminally Sexy Investigators" List.
In 2008, she was featured at No. 59 on
AskMen
AskMen is a free online men's web portal, with international versions in Australia, Canada, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States. It is owned by Ziff Davis and operates through the IGN Entertainment unit.
History
AskMen was ...
's Top 99 Women of 2008 List. Reflecting on her admitted popularity with "geeks", Bell was voted the fourth-sexiest woman on TV by the staff at
''Wizard'' magazine.
Bell stated she never thought of herself as womanly because "I always play and look and act 10 years younger than I am." However, she said, "Something magical happened when I turned 25—I looked in the mirror and was like, 'You might not get carded for an R-rated movie anymore.' Like I didn't have a little stick figure anymore."
Bell has said that many of her characters are
tomboy
A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...
s because she was "not homely enough to play the
nerd
A nerd is a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted or lacking social skills. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little known, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly tec ...
y girl and not nearly pretty enough to play the pretty girl".
![Kristen Bell 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Kristen_Bell_2.jpg)
Bell has been associated with the idea that "
nerd
A nerd is a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted or lacking social skills. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little known, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly tec ...
y is the new cool", and she explained, "what was previously perceived as nerdy is now viewed as original. What I like about nerdiness,
geek
The word ''geek'' is a slang term originally used to describe eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In the past, it had a general ...
iness, is it doesn't really matter what you're into—it just means you're not a follower."
She has also said, "I love nerds.
Comic-Con
A comic book convention or comic-con is an event with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events hosted at co ...
junkies are the tastemakers of tomorrow. Isn't that funny? The tables have turned."
Vanessa Juarez of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' commented that Bell's roles on ''Veronica Mars'', ''Heroes'' and as a ''
Star Wars'' fanatic in ''
Fanboys'' have "solidif
edher placement at the center of the geek universe," while
Rodney Rothman
Rodney Rothman is an American writer, producer, and film director known for '' Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'', '' Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,'' ''22 Jump Street'', ''Forgetting Sarah Marshall'', ''Get Him to the Greek'', ''Undeclare ...
stated, "I guess she's cornered the market on losers." Bell's work is often compared to
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze ( ; born April 14, 1977) is an American actress. After being spotted at the age of four in New York City, she made her screen acting debut in the television film ''An Invasion of Privacy'' (1983). A leading role on the te ...
's portrayal of the
title character
The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
on the television series ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer''.
Frank Scheck of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' stated that Bell was "arguably the television successor
o Gellar's portrayal of Buffywhen it comes to fighting bad guys." Bell is sometimes confused with
Lauren Conrad from ''
The Hills''. "Yeah, sometimes fans yell, 'Hey, Lauren' to me, but usually from a distance," said Bell.
Despite "new celebrity" status, Bell claimed that she was not concerned because "no one ever recognizes me anyway". She has said that her friend
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Lesley Panettiere (; born August 21, 1989) is an American actress, model, and singer. She is best known for her lead roles as Claire Bennet on the NBC superhero series '' Heroes'' and Juliette Barnes in the ABC/ CMT musical drama serie ...
is more famous than she is and attracts more attention; as Bell explained, "I hang out with Hayden quite a bit—they never take pictures of me. I just step to the side, and I push myself in front of her when she wants to get out of it, or put her in the car."
Bell was a recurring guest on ''
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish actor and comedian Craig Ferguson. This was the third iteration of the ''Late Late Show'' franchise, airing from January 3, 2005, to December 19, 2 ...
'', appearing in interviews as well as sketches. On ''The Late Late Show'', she shows a humorous hostility towards
Craig Ferguson's robot skeleton sidekick
Geoff Peterson
Geoff Peterson is an animatronic human skeleton that served as the sidekick on the late-night talk show ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''. He was voiced and operated by Josh Robert Thompson and first appeared on ''The Late Late Show'' ...
, claiming that she had wanted to be Ferguson's sidekick on his show and taking it upon herself to cut Peterson down every chance she gets. Both Bell and Peterson appeared with Ferguson during the five ''Late Late Show'' episodes filmed in France.
In January 2011, it was announced that Bell would be the new face of
Neutrogena
Neutrogena Corporation, trading as Neutrogena, is an American company that markets skin care, hair care and cosmetics owned by parent company Johnson & Johnson and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. .
In 2014, Bell posed nude for the May issue of ''
Allure'' magazine – alongside
Jenna Dewan
Jenna Lee Dewan (; born December 3, 1980) is an American actress and dancer. She started her career as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson, and later worked with artists including Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Missy Elliott. She is known for her r ...
,
Minnie Driver
Amelia Fiona Jessica "Minnie" Driver (born 31 January 1970) is an English actress. She rose to prominence with her break-out role in 1995's '' Circle of Friends''. She went on to star in a wide range of films including the cult classic '' Grosse ...
, and
Nia Long
Nia Talita Long (born October 30, 1970) is an American actress. Best known for her work in Black cinema, Long rose to prominence after starring in the film ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), and for her portrayal of Beullah "Lisa" Wilkes on the NBC sit ...
.
In April 2019, Bell was featured on the cover of ''
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value. With this definition, entrepreneurship is viewed as change, generally entailing risk beyond what is normally encountered in starting a business, which may include other values t ...
'' magazine's April–May issue. In the article, she discussed her snack bar company, This Saves Lives, which donates its sales to help feed malnourished children around the globe. In November 2019, Bell and
Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on the Broadway stage and having achieved mainstream success across stage, film and music, Menzel has garnered the honori ...
, who play sisters in
Disney's
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
''Frozen'' franchise, received neighboring stars—Bell's was the 2681st and Menzel's was the 2682nd—on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Personal life
Relationships and family
![Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Kristen_Bell%2C_Dax_Shepard_2012.jpg)
In 2007, Bell ended a five-year relationship with former fiancé Kevin Mann. She later told ''
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' magazine that dating "makes me want to vomit. And not out of grossness—OK, a little bit out of grossness, but just nerves... I've always been a
serial monogamist."
In late 2007, Bell began dating actor
Dax Shepard, who is also from Metro Detroit. The couple announced their engagement in January 2010. They decided to delay marriage until the state of California passed legislation legalizing
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...
. They co-starred in the 2010 film ''
When in Rome'', the 2012 film ''
Hit and Run
In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions.
Additional obligation
In many jurisdictions, there may be a ...
'', and the 2017 film ''
CHiPs
''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The seri ...
''. After section 3 of the
Defense of Marriage Act
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a United States federal law passed by the 104th United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage by limiting the definition of marr ...
was ruled unconstitutional by the
Supreme Court on June 26, 2013, Bell asked Shepard to marry her through Twitter,
which he accepted.
They were married at the
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...
County Clerk's Office on October 16, 2013. They have two daughters born in 2013 and 2014.
Beliefs, interests, and charity work
![Kristen Bell 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Kristen_Bell_2012.jpg)
At age 11, Bell became a
vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter.
Vegetariani ...
.
In an interview with PETA, Bell stated, "I have always been an animal lover. I had a hard time disassociating the animals I cuddled with—dogs and cats, for example—from the animals on my plate, and I never really cared for the taste of meat. I always loved my
Brussels sprout
The Brussels sprout is a member of the Gemmifera cultivar group of cabbages (''Brassica oleracea''), grown for its edible buds. The leaf vegetables are typically 1.5–4.0 cm (0.6–1.6 in) in diameter and resemble miniature cabbages ...
s!".
By 2012 Bell had become
vegan
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...
with Shepard after watching the documentary ''
Forks Over Knives
''Forks Over Knives'' is a 2011 American advocacy film and documentary that advocates a low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet (that excludes all animal products and processed foods) as a way to avoid or reverse several chronic diseases. The film ...
''.
["Kristen in the Kitchen"](_blank)
, ''Women's Health'', March 8, 2012. During her first pregnancy, she returned to eating dairy products and eggs, however.
During her time in Michigan, Bell fostered animals from the
Michigan Humane Society
The Michigan Humane is a private, non-profit organization providing animal welfare and sheltering services to the metropolitan Detroit area. Events at Michigan Humane are featured in the Animal Planet channel's reality television series '' Animal ...
, and she now supports the San Diego-based
Helen Woodward Animal Center Helen Woodward Animal Center (‘HWAC’ or ‘the Center’) is an animal center located in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Located on 12 acres, the Center provides a variety of services that benefit the community through educational and therapeutic p ...
. Bell often attends fundraisers for the
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing animal cruelty. Based in New York City since its inception in 1866, the organization's mission is "to provide effective me ...
and other non-profit organizations dedicated to protecting animals. She has had several dogs, including a
Welsh Corgi
The Welsh Corgi ( or Corgi, plural Corgis, or occasionally the etymologically consistent Corgwn; ) is a small type of herding dog that originated in Wales. The name ''corgi'' is derived from the Welsh words and (which is mutated to ), mea ...
-
Chow Chow
The Chow Chow is a spitz-type of dog breed originally from northern China. The Chow Chow is a sturdily built dog, square in profile, with a broad skull and small, triangular, erect ears with rounded tips. The breed is known for a very dense ...
mix named Lola, a Welsh Corgi-
Chihuahua mix named Shakey and a black
Labrador Retriever named Sadie, who was 11 years old when she was rescued from
Hurricane Katrina and adopted by Bell in 2005.
Bell has stated she is
non-religious
Irreligion or nonreligion is the absence or rejection of religion, or indifference to it. Irreligion takes many forms, ranging from the casual and unaware to full-fledged philosophies such as atheism and agnosticism, secular humanism and ant ...
and identifies as a
humanist
Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry.
The meaning of the term "human ...
. She and her husband Dax Shepard are pro-
vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop immunity from a disease. Vaccines contain a microorganism or virus in a weakened, live or killed state, or proteins or toxins from the organism. In stimulating ...
. She practices the
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent mantra meditation advocated by the Transcendental Meditation movement. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created the technique in India in the mid-1950s. Advocates of TM claim that the technique promotes ...
program, stating: "I really enjoy powering down for 20 minutes because it's like shutting off light switches in my brain".
Bell showed support for the
Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers:
* The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO
* The Writers Gu ...
in the
writers' strike, appearing in the picket lines in December 2007, stating, "the writers are just looking for some fairness".
Bell and other ''Veronica Mars'' cast members, including
Ryan Hansen
Ryan Hansen is an American actor, entrepreneur and comedian. He is best known for starring as Dick Casablancas on the noir drama series ''Veronica Mars'' (2004–2019), as Kyle Bradway on the Starz comedy series ''Party Down'' (2009–2010), and ...
, are involved with the charity
Invisible Children, Inc.
Invisible Children, Inc., founded in 2004, is an organization to increase awareness of the activities of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in Central Africa, and its leader, Joseph Kony. Specifically, the group seeks to put an end to the practices ...
The goal of the organization is to create awareness of the plight of
Northern Uganda
The Northern Region is one of four regions in the country of Uganda. As of Uganda's 2014 census, the region's population was .
Districts
As of 2010, the Northern Region had 30 districts
A district is a type of administrative division th ...
ns who are caught in the midst of a
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
between the government and
Joseph Kony
Joseph Rao Kony (likely born 1961) is a Ugandan militant who founded the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a Christian fundamentalist organization, designated as a terrorist group by the United Nations Peacekeepers, the European Union and variou ...
's
Lord's Resistance Army
The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), also known as the Lord's Resistance Movement, is a rebel group and heterodox Christian group which operates in northern Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the ...
.
Bell supported and campaigned for
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
during the
2008 United States presidential election. Along with
Rashida Jones
Rashida Leah Jones (; born February 25, 1976) is an American actress.
Jones appeared as Louisa Fenn on the Fox drama series '' Boston Public'' (2000–2002), as Karen Filippelli on the NBC comedy series ''The Office'' (2006–2009; 2011), and ...
, she visited college campuses in
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
to discuss the candidates and encourage voter registration.
In 2013, Kristen Bell, along with actors
Ryan Devlin
Ryan Patrick Devlin (born June 5, 1980) is an American actor. He is known for his recurring roles in the television series '' Brothers & Sisters'', ''Cougar Town'', ''Veronica Mars'', '' Big Shots'', ''Jane the Virgin'' and ''Grey's Anatomy
...
,
Todd Grinnell, and
Ravi Patel, founded the granola bar company This Bar Saves Lives to help fight malnutrition. The business donates food aid in the form of nutrition packets to children in
Haiti,
South Sudan
South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the C ...
,
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
, and
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
. Since its launch, the company has donated more than 10 million packets as of February 2019.
In 2014, Bell launched a
Prizeo
Prizeo is a privately owned internet company based in Los Angeles, California. It is an online fundraising platform that enables clients to mobilize their fan bases to raise funds and awareness for their chosen causes.
In June 2015, it was announ ...
campaign offering fans a chance to win a date with her in return for donating to Invisible Children, Inc. In 2018, Bell participated in a television advertisement for bone marrow donations, specifically the Gift of Life Marrow Registry. Her actions resulted in several matches that are documented on the Gift of Life website. Bell won a
2020 Webby Special Achievement Award.
Mental health
In May 2016, Bell stated that she has received treatment for
depression and
anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different than fear in that the former is defined as the anticipation of a future threat wh ...
. She said, "It's important for me to be candid about this so people in a similar situation can realize that they are not worthless and that they do have something to offer."
In an interview with
Jimmy Kimmel
James Christian Kimmel (born November 13, 1967) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the host and executive producer of ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', a late-night talk show that premiered on ABC on January 26, 2003, ...
in August 2018, Bell discussed why she wears scuba gloves while swimming. She stated that she fears the sensation of touching things with water-immersed, wrinkled fingers, otherwise known as "pruney fingers". The gloves have allowed her to swim with her children without fearing touching them.
Entrepreneurship
In 2019, Bell and her husband founded the company
Hello Bello that markets plant-based baby care products said to be environmentally friendly and affordable. As of 2021, Hello Bello's estimated annual revenue was $26.1 million a year with 104 employees.
Filmography
* ''
Reefer Madness
''Reefer Madness'' (originally made as ''Tell Your Children'' and sometimes titled ''The Burning Question'', ''Dope Addict'', ''Doped Youth'', and ''Love Madness'') is a 1936 American propaganda film about drugs, revolving around the melodramat ...
'' (2005)
* ''
Pulse
In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the cardiac cycle (heartbeat) by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the n ...
'' (2006)
* ''
Forgetting Sarah Marshall'' (2008)
* ''
Fanboys'' (2009)
* ''
Couples Retreat
''Couples Retreat'' is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Billingsley marking his directorial debut, and written by Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, and Dana Fox. Vaughn and Favreau star with Jason Bateman, Faizon Love, Kristin Davi ...
'' (2009)
* ''
When in Rome'' (2010)
* ''
Burlesque'' (2010)
* ''
You Again'' (2010)
* ''
Hit and Run
In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions.
Additional obligation
In many jurisdictions, there may be a ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Frozen'' (2013)
* ''
Veronica Mars
''Veronica Mars'' is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas. The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California, and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character. The series pr ...
'' (2014)
* ''
Frozen Fever
''Frozen Fever'' is a 2015 American computer-animated musical fantasy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. A follow-up to the 2013 feature film '' Frozen'', the short follows Elsa as she at ...
'' (2015)
* ''
The Boss'' (2016)
* ''
Bad Moms'' (2016)
* ''
A Bad Moms Christmas'' (2017)
* ''
Olaf's Frozen Adventure
''Olaf's Frozen Adventure'' is a 2017 American 3D computer-animated featurette produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers. The screenplay was written by Jac Schaeffer, with Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, ...
'' (2017)
* ''
Ralph Breaks the Internet
''Ralph Breaks the Internet'' is a 2018 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The 57th animated film produced by the studio and the sequel t ...
'' (2018)
* ''
Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
''Teen Titans Go! To the Movies'' is a 2018 American animated superhero comedy film based on the television series ''Teen Titans Go!'', which is based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. This film is directed by Peter Rida Mi ...
'' (2018)
* ''
Frozen II'' (2019)
* ''
Queenpins
''Queenpins'' is a 2021 American comedy film written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly. It stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Bebe Rexha, and Vince Vaughn. Ben Stiller serves as an executive producer un ...
'' (2021)
* ''
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'' (2022)
* ''
The People We Hate at the Wedding
''The People We Hate at the Wedding'' is a 2022 American comedy film directed by Claire Scanlon from a screenplay by the Molyneux sisters, based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Grant Ginder. It stars Allison Janney, Ben Platt, Cynthia Ad ...
'' (2022)
Awards and nominations
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Kristen
1980 births
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Actresses from Detroit
American child actresses
American film actresses
American humanists
American musical theatre actresses
American people of German descent
American people of Irish descent
American people of Polish descent
American people of Scottish descent
American stage actresses
American television actresses
American video game actresses
American voice actresses
American web series actresses
Living people
People from Huntington Woods, Michigan
Tisch School of the Arts alumni