I was booking commercials and doing a lot in that realm. They even reassured me that someone would always be available to cover for me when I went to auditions, which at the time, was frequent. I was still there as an auditioning actress, and I made that really clear to Dax and Kristen at the beginning. “It was never like, ‘Oh, I’m now moving into the world of personal assisting or babysitting.’ That was never a thing. Still, her sights remained set on acting. We’d built something a little different, and that felt really good.” And then I knew that there was some safety there. I told them I couldn’t help it it just happened. This mom is going to tell Kristen and Dax that I rolled my eyes, and I’m going to get fired.’ So later, out of pure guilt, I told them. And she rolled the window down and scolded me! I remember her asking who I was, and I was like, ‘Oh no. I honestly can’t remember the details, but essentially, I rolled my eyes at her. There was this woman, a parent at the school, in a car. It was one of those chaotic moments every parent knows-things falling, baby screaming-and I’m trying to cross the street. I remember one time, I was picking up one of the kids from preschool, and I had the other, a baby, with me. “So I was a little scared of losing my job all the time. The two established a level of trust, and Monica became Dax and Kristen’s babysitter. Later, Monica auditioned for, and landed, a gig alongside Kristen on House of Lies. The “how” can be explained simply: proximity led to opportunity.Īrriving in L.A., friends introduced Monica to Dax’s wife Kristen Bell. Little did she know that life would take a different turn, eventually leading her to co-create, co-host, and co-edit one of the most popular podcasts on the planet- Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. in 2011 with stars in her eyes.Īt 24 years old, she dreamed of landing a role on a show similar to Friends-the sitcom she had loved since eighth grade that also inspired her to act. Like many young aspiring actors, Monica Padman (of Drop Dead Diva, The Good Place, House of Lies, and CHIPS, to name a few) arrived in L.A.