Dax Shepard Tells His Ex He Had a ‘Deep Fear’ of Never Loving Again After Their Split

Actor Dax Shepard has revealed he once feared he would never love again after splitting from his longtime ex-girlfriend Briegh Morrison, years before meeting his wife, Kristen Bell.

In a candid episode of his Armchair Expert podcast’s special segment Mom’s Car, released Tuesday, Oct. 21, the 50-year-old actor invited Morrison for a heartfelt discussion about their nine-year relationship and open breakup.

Shepard described the separation as “amicable,” but admitted it left him shaken.

“The breakup was manageable, but I did think, ‘Well, I’ll never be in love with someone again in that way,’” he said. “I had a deep fear. I was quite scared of that.”

Morrison reflected on her own pain from the split, explaining that she had envisioned a shared future with Shepard.

As detailed in the complete version, there are several key factors to consider.

“One of the hardest things when we broke up was that I really thought we were going to have kids,” she said. “We had a house. I was getting on in years, and it felt like the dream was slipping away.”

Shepard admitted he was “disoriented for a while” after their breakup and hoped Morrison would find love again. She eventually married Brad Winderbaum, an executive at Marvel Studios, while Shepard met Bell, whom he married in October 2013. The couple now share two daughters, Lincoln (12) and Delta (10).

Brad Winderbaum and Bri

The CHiPs star also noted that Morrison and Bell share similar traits that he deeply values.

“You both have strong opinions but also the ability to really listen and integrate other perspectives,” he said. “Neither of you are stuck.”

Shepard went on to discuss how Bell initially found his ongoing friendship with his ex unusual.

“When Kristen and I started dating, you were still coming over a lot because my mom lived with me,” he recalled. “She was like, ‘This is wild — I’m not friends with any of my exes!’ But I’m friends with almost all of mine.”

Over time, Bell became completely comfortable with the friendship. “She’s totally at ease with it now,” Shepard said.

Shepard and Bell began dating in 2007, tied the knot six years later, and continue to be one of Hollywood’s most admired couples.