Dax Shepard Admits He Pursued Kate Hudson While She Was Still Married: Inside the Relentless Flirting That Led to Their Whirlwind Romance

Dax Shepard pulled out all the stops when he first met Kate Hudson, refusing to let the fact that she was actively married stop him from laying on the charm. The actor laid his cards on the table during a candid episode of his hit podcast, openly revisiting the brazen moment he shot his shot with the Oscar-nominated star long before they ever dated.

Speaking with guests Sara and Erin Foster on the Armchair Expert podcast, Shepard reflected on his instant attraction to Hudson when he ran into her at a casual poker night hosted at her brother Oliver Hudson’s home. Hudson was still married to Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson at the time, but Shepard admitted he was completely spellbound.

“I gave her 111% of any charm I have,” Shepard confessed on the show. “I just thought she was so f–king beautiful and I love [her movie] ‘Almost Famous’ and, oh my God, I can’t believe she’s here.”

Dax Shepard speaking into a microphone on the set of Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.

Dax Shepard sits in an armchair talking into a microphone on the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast.

The Poker Game That Sparked a Hollywood Crush

Shepard was well aware that shooting his shot with a married woman was a long shot, but he walked away feeling confident that he had at least left an impression. The encounter planted a seed that stayed with him long after the game ended.

“I remember leaving going like, ‘Well, this is as good a job as one can do.’ She’s married, who cares, but that was a great first showing. I just had a crush on her.”

The persistence eventually paid off years later. When Hudson and Robinson separated in 2006, ending their nearly seven-year marriage, Shepard saw an opening and seized it during a chance reunion at a dinner party in Malibu.

From Malibu Dinner to Nonstop Whirlwind

Once both were single, the dynamic changed instantly. Shepard recalled that his second attempt struck the exact chord he had hoped for during their first run-in at Oliver’s house.

“From that night on we were just together every single day,” Shepard shared of their sudden romance. Sara Foster chimed in to note that the pair “got serious fast” during their short-lived 2007 relationship, a detail Shepard didn’t dispute, crudely summing up their passionate days together as “making out, f–king all day long.”

Actress Kate Hudson and her husband, singer Chris Robinson, attending a movie premiere.

Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson standing together at an event.

Where Their Relationships Stand Today

While the whirlwind romance between Dax Shepard and Kate Hudson lasted only a few months in 2007, both stars moved on to build expansive families with long-term partners in the years that followed.

Hudson was married to Robinson from 2000 to 2007, sharing 22-year-old son Ryder. She later got engaged to Muse frontman Matt Bellamy, sharing 15-year-old son Bingham, before getting engaged to musician Danny Fujikawa in September 2021, with whom she shares daughter Rani Rose, 8.

Shepard, meanwhile, has been married to actress Kristen Bell since October 2013, raising daughters Lincoln, 13, and Delta, 11.

Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell posing together at an event.

Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell attend the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater.

Kristen Bell’s Surprising Reaction to Dax’s Flirting Habits

Hollywood romances often carry complicated pasts, but Shepard and Bell have built a reputation on sharing the unvarnished realities of their union. Just days before discussing his past fling with Hudson, Bell joined her husband on Armchair Expert to break down his unconventional way of showing affection.

Bell revealed that Shepard routinely flirts with her by showering other people, particularly restaurant servers, with over-the-top compliments about their eyes or eyelashes.

While podcast co-host Monica Padman argued that complimenting waitstaff directly is simply flirting with the server, Bell sees it entirely differently. To her, seeing her partner spread warmth to strangers is part of his unique appeal.

💬 Shepard’s bold confession shows that Hollywood crushes can lead to unexpected real-life chapters before everyone ends up right where they belong.

✨ From brief flings to decades-long partnerships, Hollywood relationship timelines rarely follow a traditional path.

👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments below: Would you be flattered or annoyed if someone hit on you while you were married? Let us know what you think!