So, let's talk about the thing everyone is squinting at their TV screens for. If you’ve been binging Nobody Wants This on Netflix, you’ve probably noticed that the show tries really hard to be "real." It’s got the messy hair, the greasy morning-after looks, and that specific brand of LA chaos that feels both curated and slightly unhinged. But one detail in Season 2 has sent certain corners of the internet into a total tailspin: kristen bell armpit hair in nobody wants this.
Specifically, there’s a scene in the Valentine’s Day episode involving a bathtub. It’s supposed to be this intimate, steamy moment between Joanne (Kristen Bell) and Noah (Adam Brody). But instead of focusing on the romance, some viewers found themselves laser-focused on Joanne’s underarms.
Was it a shadow? Was it a deliberate character choice? Or is Kristen Bell just living her best, most natural life?
Why the Internet is Obsessed with Joanne’s Underarms
Look, we’ve been conditioned by decades of Hollywood polish to expect female leads to be hairless from the eyebrows down. It’s a weird standard, but it’s the one we have. When a show like Nobody Wants This comes along—a show that explicitly markets itself on being "agnostic" and "authentic"—any break from that "perfect" mold gets noticed immediately.
In the bathtub scene, as Kristen Bell reaches up or moves her arms, there is very clearly some stubble or shadow there.
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Honestly, it fits the vibe of the show. Joanne is a sex podcaster. She’s messy. She’s cynical. She forgets to wash her hair (seriously, the "greasy hair" discourse for this season is just as loud). It makes total sense that a character like Joanne wouldn't give a rip about a perfectly smooth shave, especially during a hectic Valentine’s Day.
Character Choice or Reality?
Fans on Reddit have been debating whether this was a "Joanne" thing or a "Kristen" thing.
- The Character Argument: Joanne is portrayed as a bit of a "disgruntled teenager" in Season 2 (to quote some frustrated fans). She’s pushing back against expectations. Having armpit hair might be a subtle way for the costume and makeup department to signal her rejection of traditional "rabbi’s wife" aesthetics.
- The Realism Argument: It’s a bathtub scene. People have hair. Sometimes the lighting hits a certain way and you see the reality of a human body. Kristen Bell has always been pretty open about her life, but in most red carpet photos, she’s typically clean-shaven. This suggests the "look" in the show was either a deliberate choice for the scene or just a byproduct of a grueling filming schedule where "perfect grooming" wasn't the priority.
Breaking the "Perfect Woman" Trope
We need to talk about why this is even a headline. It’s 2026. We’ve seen various celebrities embrace body hair—from Janelle Monáe to Miley Cyrus. Yet, when it happens on a mainstream Netflix rom-com, it still feels like a "moment."
The showrunners of Nobody Wants This have been vocal about wanting the show to feel "lived in." They want the chemistry between Brody and Bell to feel like a real relationship, not a Disney version of one. Real relationships involve stubble. They involve hair that looks like it needs a wash. They involve people being slightly unkept while they’re navigating the complicated world of interfaith dating and family drama.
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The Contrast with Season 1
In Season 1, the show felt a bit more "sparkly." The chemistry was new, the lighting was softer. By the time we get to the kristen bell armpit hair in nobody wants this discussion in Season 2, the tone has shifted. The characters are bickering more. The stakes are higher. The "honeymoon phase" is over, and the show is leaning into the friction.
Some viewers hate it. They miss the "perfect" Joanne. Others find it refreshing. It’s rare to see a female lead in a major rom-com allowed to look "unpolished" without it being the entire plot point of the episode. Usually, if a woman has armpit hair in a movie, there’s a five-minute monologue about feminism. Here? It just is.
What This Says About Modern TV Trends
This isn't just about one actress or one scene. It’s part of a larger trend toward "ugly-chic" or "hyper-realism" in streaming.
- Authenticity over Aesthetics: Audiences are tired of the "Instagram filter" look (ironically, since Season 2 was also criticized for heavy product placement).
- Relatability: Seeing a star like Kristen Bell with visible body hair makes the character of Joanne feel more like someone you actually know.
- The "Gaze" Shift: The show is created by Erin Foster, and it feels like it’s written from a specific female perspective that prioritizes emotional truth over visual perfection.
The Verdict on the Bathtub Scene
If you go back and watch that Valentine's episode, pay attention to the lighting. It’s dim, it’s warm, and it’s meant to be intimate. The fact that the production didn't feel the need to "fix it in post" or have a makeup artist rush in with a razor says a lot.
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Whether it was a conscious decision by Bell or a choice by the directors, it grounded the scene. It reminded us that Joanne is a person, not a mannequin.
Actionable Insights for Viewers:
- Don't overthink it: Sometimes a shadow is just a shadow, but in a show this detailed, it's usually a vibe check.
- Watch for the "unpolished" details: Season 2 is full of them—look at the way Joanne's hair changes when she's stressed versus when she's performing for Noah's family.
- Embrace the mess: If the show is making you uncomfortable because the characters feel "too real" or "too annoying," that’s probably the point. It’s a departure from the "perfect couple" tropes of the early 2000s.
Ultimately, the buzz around kristen bell armpit hair in nobody wants this proves that we still have a long way to go in how we view women’s bodies on screen. But if it helps break down those tired Hollywood walls, then Joanne’s bathtub moment did more than just move the plot forward—it started a conversation.