Dax Shepard

January 2, 2025

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Dax Randall Shepard was born on January 2, 1975, born in Milford Charter Township, Michigan. He is an actor, comedian, writer, director, and podcast host from the United States. He has hosted “Armchair Expert,” a podcast in which he interviews celebrities, journalists, and academics about their lives since 2018. Shepard has appeared in several feature films including “Without a Paddle” in 2004, “Zathura: A Space Adventure” in 2005, “Employee of the Month” in 2006, “Hit and Run” in 2012, and “CHiPs” in 2017. For the latter two, he also wrote and directed. From 2010 to 2015, Shepard played Crosby Braverman in the N.B.C. comedy-drama series “Parenthood.” He also appeared in the Netflix show “The Ranch” as Luke Matthews and in the M.T.V. practical joke reality series “Punk’d” in 2003.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Dax Randall Shepard

Birth date:

January 2, 1975

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Capricorn

Height:

6' 2"

Relationship Status:

Married

Net Worth:

$40 million

Background

Dax Randall Shepard was born on January 2, 1975, in Milford, Milford Charter Township, Michigan. He is the son of Laura LaBo, a General Motors employee, and David Robert “Dave” Shepard, Sr., a car salesman. His parents divorced when he was three years old. Shepard worked on the road for his mother from the age of 14 to 18, going from racetrack to racetrack. Shepard had a stepfather who worked as an engineer on the Corvette for about two years. According to Shepard, his mother has been married four times and he had three stepfathers. Shepard has stated that he was raised in Milford despite having lived in a variety of suburbs in Detroit, primarily in Walled Lake.

Shepard attended The Groundlings after graduating from Walled Lake Central High School in 1993. Before moving to U.C.L.A., Shepard attended Santa Monica College and West Los Angeles College and received a B.A. in Anthropology with honors. In 1996, Shepard relocated to Los Angeles from Santa Barbara, California, after a year there. He learned about The Groundlings improv troupe from a Santa Barbara friend, Kareem Elseify, and ended up auditioning and taking classes while also attending university. After about five years of classes, he was accepted into The Groundlings’ Sunday Company, which included Melissa McCarthy, Fortune Feimster, Tate Taylor, and Nat Faxon.

Shepard starred in the 2004 film “Without a Paddle,” alongside Seth Green and Matthew Lillard. In 2005, he starred as the astronaut in “Zathura: A Space Adventure,” which is a science fiction adventure fantasy film. In 2006, he appeared with Dane Cook and Jessica Simpson in “Employee of the Month.” Shepard starred in the 2008 comedy “Baby Mama” alongside Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. In 2010, he wrote, directed, and starred in “Brother’s Justice,” a low-budget satirical mockumentary that won an Audience Award at the 2010 Austin Film Festival. He also appeared as a supporting actor in the 2010 romantic comedy film “When in Rome,” alongside his future wife Kristen Bell. From 2010 to 2015, Shepard played Crosby Braverman in the N.B.C. drama “Parenthood.” On February 14, 2018, Shepard launched the podcast “Armchair Expert,” the podcast delves into the lives of its well-known guests. The first episode of “Experts on Expert” aired on June 7, 2018, and featured Shepard and Padman interviewing experts in their respective fields. The show was the most popular new podcast on iTunes in 2018. Shepard also hosted the relaunched “Top Gear America,” which aired on Motor Trend in January 2021.

Career timeline

1996

He Moves to Los Angeles

Shepard relocates to Los Angeles in 1996 after spending a year in Santa Barbara, California, where he heard about The Groundlings school from a friend.

2004

He Stars in “Without a Paddle”

Shepard co-stars with Seth Green and Matthew Lillard in the comedy film "Without a Paddle."

2008

He Co-Stars in “Baby Mama”

Shepard co-stars with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in the comedy "Baby Mama."

2012

Writes and Stars in “Hit and Run”

Shepard writes, produces, co-directs, and stars in the low-budget film “Hit and Run” with Kristen Bell and his close friend Bradley Cooper.

2018

He Launches a Podcast

Shepard debuts his podcast "Armchair Expert," a podcast that delves into the personal lives of its famous guests.

2021

A Host in “Top Gear America”

Shepard takes over as host of the American version of the classic "Top Gear" series, which features the car-centric adventures of three new hosts.

Why We Love Dax Shepard

He is an advocate of the L.G.B.T.Q. Community
As outspoken supporters of the L.G.B.T.Q. community, Shepard and his wife decided to postpone their wedding until same-sex marriage became legal in California. It just didn't seem right for them to get married and celebrate while their friends who were also same-sex couples couldn't.
He acknowledges the value of being a mother
Shepard understands and appreciates how difficult it is to be a mother. He shared that a female friend recently expressed guilt about being a working mother to him.
He loves his kids very much
Shepard adores his children and is constantly concerned about their safety and future. To keep his daughter safe in the future, he taught her to ride a motorcycle when she was only six years old. He stated that he does not want his daughter to ride on the back of a future boyfriend's motorcycle.

5 Surprising Facts

He accidentally texted his mother-in-law
Shepard unintentionally sent a flirtatious text to his wife's mother; he responded with a lot of eggplant emojis, and he immediately realized his mistake.
His first paid role was on “Punk'd”
Shepard's first paid role was on his best friend Ashton Kutcher's hidden-camera show "Punk'd," and he's had a few small roles since then.
He had a one-sided love
When Shepard met his future wife Kristen Bell at a sushi restaurant with mutual friends, the sparks were completely one-sided.
He has a profitable side business
Shepard and his wife combined business and pleasure when they became landlords in their spare time with the company "Pringus Property L.L.C."
He was named after a fictional character
When a fan inquired about the origins of his name, Shepard revealed that his mother chose it after reading Harold Robbins' "The Adventurers."

Dax Shepard FAQs

Who is Dax Shepard's co-host on his podcast?

Shepard is the host of the podcast “Armchair Expert,” which he co-hosts with American actress Monica Padman.

Is Dax Shepard a vegan?

Shepard’s wife has been a vegetarian since she was 11 years old, and he became a vegan in 2012 after seeing “Forks Over Knives.”

How did Dax Shepard become friends with Bradley Cooper?

Before meeting and falling in love with his wife, Kristen Bell, Shepard met and fell in love with his best friend, Bradley Cooper. More than a decade later, the two have plenty of stories to tell — if they can get through them without laughing.