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Shepard posted to his Instagram hours before the red carpet began
Caitlin Hornik in New York Monday 02 March 2026 02:23 GMT- Bookmark
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Dax Shepard has missed the Actor Awards’ red carpet despite his wife, Kristen Bell, hosting the event for the third time.
Shepard, 51, posted to his Instagram Story hours before the red carpet began, indicating that he might not make it to the event.
The Parenthood actor shared an image of a text he received with instructions to drink “clear liquids today” with the hashtag “colonoscopy prep” written over it.
Shepard did then post to his Instagram grid urging his followers to watch the ceremony, hosted again by Bell.
“CAUTION: DO NOT watch if you’re allergic to effortless charm, tasty wit, velvety vocals, world-class mimicry, high-in-tight buns, timeless beauty or Disney-level Adorability,” he joked in the caption accompanying a promo image of Bell.
open image in galleryDax Shepard urged his followers to tune into the Actor Awards to watch his wife Kristen Bell host (Getty)“Also it may be ‘too much’ for those with heart conditions. For everyone else, buckle the f*** up!!!”
Bell responded in the comments section of the post: “I looooove you buddy.”
This isn’t the first time Shepard has skipped the red carpet and ceremony while his wife hosted. Speaking to People magazine ahead of the 2025 ceremony, Bell was uncertain if her husband would be there to support her in person or from the comfort of their own home.
“He’s his own man and I support him,” Bell said. “I don’t know if he’ll even come because to be honest, we don’t have very many babysitters who are ever available and he has to watch the children.”
Shepard wound up skipping the ceremony.
Formerly known as the SAG Awards, Bell joked in the days leading up to the ceremony that she was struggling with the rebrand.
open image in galleryKristen Bell returned to host the 2026 Actor Awards (Getty Images)The Nobody Wants This star, 45, first hosted the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards in 2018, and returned to the role last year. Sunday’s ceremony marks the first since the name change.
“Renaming it is a big thing to apply to the old processor,” Bell told USA Today. “There's been a lot of slip-ups. But we politely correct each other when I say the SAG Awards. Nope, it's now called the Actor Awards.”
She added that the decision to change the name was “not my department, and above my pay grade,” but that she hoped the new title would emphasize that the ceremony represents a chance for actors alone to have their say on the film and television performances of their peers.
“That's what this show is about, that’s what makes it unique,” said Bell. “Some branding genius was like, 'Why not call it the Actor Awards?' And they called me, told me it's called the Actor Awards, and I said, ‘Let's roll!’”
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