Tovah Feldshuh Defends Kristen Bell, Praising Her “Kindness and Humanity” Amid Backlash Over Recent Post

Nobody Wants This star Tovah Feldshuh has spoken out in support of her costar Kristen Bell following controversy over Bell’s recent anniversary post.

Sharing a photo of the two embracing, Feldshuh wrote on Instagram: “With my beloved Kristen Bell, one of the finest human beings I know. Her humanity parallels her beauty and her talent, all of which are embracing and immense.”

Feldshuh plays Bina, the protective and judgmental mother of Adam Brody’s character Noah, in the hit series.

Bell, meanwhile, faced backlash after posting a tongue-in-cheek anniversary message to husband Dax Shepard on October 17, quoting him as saying:

“I would never kill you. A lot of men have killed their wives at a certain point. Even though I’m heavily incentivized to kill you, I never would.”

While some followers found the caption humorous and clearly meant as an inside joke, others criticized it for making light of domestic violence — particularly during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

In response, a representative for the National Network to End Domestic Violence told Page Six:

“There’s nothing funny about domestic violence ‘jokes’ that trivialize the fear, trauma and pain that millions of victims face each day. We all have a responsibility to speak about this issue with the seriousness it deserves.”

Fans were quick to react to Kristen Bell’s controversial anniversary post, with one person commenting, “What a wild thing to post during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.”

Following the backlash, Bell limited comments on her Instagram and canceled her scheduled appearance on the Today show on October 22, where she was set to promote season 2 of her Netflix series Nobody Wants This. Representatives for Bell and Today did not immediately comment.

Despite the criticism, many longtime fans defended Bell and her husband Dax Shepard, suggesting the post was meant as a joke. “She was trying to be funny,” one fan wrote on Us Weekly’s Facebook page. “They have a relationship full of humor. She just had poor timing, not realizing October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. She wasn’t out to hurt anyone.”

Still, Bell appeared unfazed by the controversy, joining Adam Brody, Justine Lupe, Jackie Tohn, and Timothy Simons at a screening and panel event for Nobody Wants This season 2 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.