Cher Jokes She’d Pick a Different Partner for Kristen Bell—Then Warms to Dax Shepard on His Own Podcast

If Cher could turn back time, she might have chosen a different partner for her Burlesque costar Kristen Bell—or so she teased during a candid and good-humored conversation that ultimately ended in praise.

The 79-year-old music icon appeared on the Monday, Jan. 5 episode of Armchair Expert, hosted by Bell’s husband, Dax Shepard. Shepard didn’t shy away from acknowledging that Cher has never exactly been his biggest fan.

“Who would be your dream partner for her?” Shepard asked Cher, referencing his wife. “Because I know you think she could be better—and I don’t disagree.”

Cher, however, stopped short of naming an alternative match. “The truth is, I trust her,” she said with a shrug. “So you must have something that I don’t see.”

Cher first met Bell while filming the 2010 musical drama Burlesque, at a time when Bell and Shepard were already engaged. The couple later married in 2013 and now share two daughters, Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 11.

Reflecting on her first impression, Cher recalled an easy rapport with Bell on set, which also included costars Christina Aguilera and Stanley Tucci. “We got along so well, and we were very sympatico,” Cher said. “I respected her a lot. I didn’t know who she was, but she was good.”

Shepard took the opportunity to make his case, explaining what he believes sets him apart. “I’m not threatened by her shining,” he told the Grammy winner. “Love it. The shinier she gets, the better.”

That sentiment struck a chord with Cher, who compared Shepard’s outlook to that of her longtime boyfriend, Alexander Edwards. “Alexander is that way too,” she said. “The more I shine, the more he has won.”

Bell summed it up simply, calling them “guys who polish you so you shine more.”

By the end of the episode, the playful skepticism had softened. “I adore you,” Shepard told Cher. “And I understand nobody’s good enough for her.”

Bell returned the affection, telling her former costar that Shepard is “almost too good for me,” describing him as a “slow burn.” Cher, for her part, offered a warm seal of approval: “You seem like a good dad.”

Bell didn’t hesitate to agree. “He’s the best dad there ever was.”

Shepard, never missing a chance for humor, joked, “I put on a good show when the guests are here. That was the first hug I’d given my daughter in two years—just because you were here. I wanted to impress you.”

What began as a tongue-in-cheek critique ended as an unexpected moment of mutual respect, proving that even Cher can be won over—eventually.