Kristen Bell: Dax Shepard and I have a code word to stop game nights from getting heated

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard have a “code word” to stop family game nights from getting too heated.

The ‘Frozen’ star and the 46-year-old actor are both set to host the new NBC game show, ‘Family Game Fight’, which will see them part ways and join up with two competing families to help their team win $100,000.

Ahead of the show’s premiere on Sunday (08.05.21), the couple have admitted their own game nights at home with their two daughters – Lincoln, eight, and Delta, six – can get pretty competitive.

And to make sure things remain civil at home, the family even has a special code word which they use to try and calm people down.

Kristen said: “We have some code words at home when games get heated to calm everyone down.”

But their attempts don’t often work, as they usually end up making the angry person more upset.

Dax explained: “If we notice temperatures are starting to flare, someone says ‘anaconda’ and then everyone else has to go, ‘it’s just a game’. Which generally makes people more angry. It doesn’t really work, but it was an attempt.”

And Kristen added in a joint interview with People magazine: “It makes the three people who aren’t angry laugh and the person who’s on fire, ablaze. We’ve wrapped some games at our house because we’ve just gone, ‘This isn’t worth it.’ It’s not worth the fights we get into.”

Meanwhile, the couple – who married in 2013 – have previously been open about their visits to both couple’s and solo therapy sessions, with Kristen saying the trips have helped bring “individuality” into their relationship.

She said: “Therapy’s been big for us during the pandemic. We both rely on it, my husband and I, for personal growth and ultimately to bring what we learn individually into the relationship.”