'The Ranch' Star Dax Shepard's Best Movies and TV Roles

Dax Shepard joined the cast of The Ranch in the latest batch of episodes, but the actor has an [...]

By Michael Hein

Dax Shepard joined the cast of The Ranch in the latest batch of episodes, but the actor has an impressive resume going back two decades before that.

Shepard is an actor and comedian known for some blockbuster movies and lauded TV shows. He has found himself in some incredibly influential roles over the years, though he has also accepted jobs that were less refined.

In real life, Shepard is an old friend of Ashton Kutcher. Their relationship in and out of work goes back to Punk'd, where they co-starred as young men. Now, they work together on TV and podcasts and spend time together with their growing families as well.

Shepard is married to actress Kristen Bell, with whom he shares two children. The two are one of social media's favorite celebrity couples these days, as they both continue to rise toward a level of ubiquitous stardom.

Shepard joined the cast of The Ranch this year to replace Danny Masterson, Kutcher's former That 70's Show co-star. Masterson was fired following multiple allegations of sexual assault, which the actor continues to deny. His character left the show under mysterious means, while Shepard's was rolled in without missing a beat.

Still, before he was working on the Bennetts' ranch, Shepard had a long career of memorable roles. Here is a look at some of Shepard's best work over the years.

Hit and Run

Shepard co-starred with his wife, Kristen Bell, in the 2012 comedy Hit and Run. The road movie finds Shepard playing a former getaway driver in the Witness Protection Plan program. His tenuous new life suddenly comes crashing down, and he is forced to drive his unwitting girlfriend, Annie (Bell) to Los Angeles, but along the way they are tailed by his former criminal contacts and the police.

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Idiocracy

Early in his career, Shepard was featured in the sci-fi comedy Idiocracy as a faithful sidekick. He managed to play a stupid person with style as he aided to the hero, played by Luke Wilson, in getting humanity back on the right track.

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Employee of The Month

That same year, Shepard landed a role in Employee of The Month. He starred along Jessica Simpson and Dane Cook, who, at the time, was an unstoppable superstar to be reckoned with. Contrary to many of his usual laid back roles, he played Cook's uptight boss.

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CHIPS

Last year, Shepard joined the stellar cast of the action comedy Chips. He played a sensitive, unassuming officer on the California Highway Patrol paired with an experienced veteran (Michael Pena) for an undercover mission. Once again, Bell played Shepard's wife on-screen.

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Parenthood

Of course, Shepard's longest-running role was the NBC series Parenthood. The show balanced comedy and drama on a knife's edge, tracing the ups and downs of a large and chaotic family.

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Punk'd

Shepard really got his start in 2003 when he joined Ashton Kutcher for candid camera pranks on MTV's Punk'd. Shepard even joined the show for its reunion run in 2012.

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Without a Paddle

Following the exposure from Punk'd, Shepard took his first starring role in a movie for the buddy comedy Without a Paddle. He played one of three friends thrown into the wilderness and dealt more than they could handle, and cemented himself in the kind of carefree yet earnest character he has played ever since.

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The Good Place

Finally, Shepard made a cameo on his wife's hit sitcom The Good Place, and he stole the show. Shepard played a demon from the bad place who took a liking to Chidi, and ultimately proved to be pretty harmless to the heroes.

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