In a revelation that has divided fans and sparked a heated conversation about modern parenting, actor and podcaster Dax Shepard has disclosed he offered to pay for his 11-year-old daughter to freeze her eggs when she turns 18.
The Podcast Revelation
The 51-year-old star, who shares daughters Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 11, with actress Kristen Bell, 45, made the comments on the January 5 episode of his popular Armchair Expert podcast. Shepard explained the offer stemmed from a conversation with his youngest child, Delta, about her future desire to become a mother.
"Delty was saying how she can’t wait to have a baby," Shepard recounted, adding he wanted to be supportive. When he probed if she meant at age 18, Delta replied she thought that was too young, leading Shepard to suggest she might want children later, between 35 and 45.
It was then he made his proposition: "I said, 'I think, if you want to, we’ll freeze your eggs when you’re 18. I’ll pay for you to get your eggs frozen so you don’t have to think about that.'"
A Polarised Public Reaction
The discussion, which Shepard had with co-host Monica Padman—who has undergone the procedure herself—was met with immediate and starkly contrasting reactions online. Many social media users branded the idea as "weird," "dystopian," and wildly premature.
"Maybe that conversation could’ve waited till she’s 18?" questioned one Instagram user, Deja Marie. Another, Angela Michaels, noted her own 12-year-old "does not want her dad discussing her eggs at the moment lol." Critic Michelle Marino admitted being a fan but called the talk "very strange," stating she would have been "mortified" if her father had said the same.
However, a significant number of commentators praised Shepard for forward-thinking and addressing the realities of female fertility. "Honestly, I wish my father gifted me this. It’s expensive," pointed out one user named Tina. Caroline Lunny insisted "this is the best gift we can give our daughters," with others agreeing more people should be encouraging such planning.
Privilege, Career and Unconventional Parenting
During the podcast, Shepard acknowledged his family's fortunate position, stating "this isn’t an option for most people." He framed the offer as a practical solution to a common dilemma, suggesting his daughter, like many women, would "be wrestling with the same thing... You’re gonna want to do your career."
The conversation is characteristic of the couple's famously open and unconventional approach to family life. Bell recently made headlines herself by stating she "didn’t care" if Shepard slept with other people, remarking "We’re married – we’re not dead."
The episode also featured music icon Cher, who jibed that Shepard "must have something that I don’t see" to be married to Bell, her former Burlesque co-star, whom she called "the better half" of the pair.
Whether viewed as a progressive act of support or a step too far into a child's future autonomy, Shepard's candid disclosure has ignited a complex debate about fertility, privilege, and the boundaries of parental guidance in 2026.
