Early Life and Education
Monica Padman was born on August 24, 1987, in Duluth, Georgia, to Indian immigrant parents. Her father is an engineer, and her mother is a computer programmer. As a teenager, Padman went to Duluth High School, where she was on the cheerleading squad. With her squad, she won two state championships. After graduating in 2006, Padman went to the University of Georgia on the Hope Scholarship. At UGA, Padman originally double-majored in theater and public relations before choosing the latter to please her parents. She graduated in 2009 with a 4.0 GPA and both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Journalism degrees.
Career Beginnings
In 2011, Padman moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career as an actor. While training in improv comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade, she supported herself financially by babysitting and working the front desk at SoulCycle. Through connections, she eventually met actors and partners Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, for whom she began babysitting. Padman went on to become the couple’s full-time nanny, as well as an assistant to Bell. Meanwhile, she appeared in a number of ad campaigns, including for Herbal Essences and Geico.
Armchair Expert
In early 2018, Padman and Dax Shepard co-created the podcast “Armchair Expert,” which grew out of the frequent debates they would have on the back porch of Shepard’s home. On the podcast, the duo interviews an array of celebrities, journalists, and academics about their various challenges and successes. The episodes, which often take on a comedic bent, run anywhere from 60 minutes to over two hours, and conclude with a fact check by Padman on claims made during the show. Guests on “Armchair Expert” have included such celebrities as Will Ferrell, Ellen DeGeneres, Mila Kunis, Aubrey Plaza, Casey Affleck, Matt Damon, and Carey Mulligan. On the show’s “Experts on Expert” episodes, which feature experts in a range of fields, guests have included Bill Gates, Ibram X. Kendi, Sanjay Gupta, and Jennifer Newsom. “Armchair Expert” has occasionally been filmed in front of live audiences. In addition to co-hosting the podcast, Padman edits the episodes. In addition to the main show, there have been a number of other podcasts under the “Armchair” umbrella; ones co-hosted by Padman have included “Armchair Anonymous” and “Synced,” the latter featuring journalist and media personality Liz Plank.
Acting Career
As an actress, Padman made her professional debut in a 2010 episode of the Lifetime television series “Drop Dead Diva.” Four years later, she played an assistant to Kristen Bell’s character in an episode of Showtime’s “House of Lies,” mirroring her real-life professional relationship with Bell. Padman continued to appear in media affiliated with both Bell and her husband, Dax Shepard. In 2017, she appeared in Shepard’s film adaptation of the buddy cop action comedy series “CHiPs,” and in 2018, she had a guest role on Bell’s NBC show “The Good Place.” Padman subsequently had a guest role on Shepard’s ABC sitcom “Bless This Mess” in 2019. A couple of years later, she appeared in an episode of the Peacock sitcom “Rutherford Falls.”
Web Series
On the web, Padman served as a producer on Kristen Bell’s web series “Momsplaining,” for which she earned an Emmy Award nomination. She also appeared in the web series “Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television.” In 2021, Padman hosted the Tastemade web series “Tiny Kitchen Cook-Off,” on which she interviewed celebrity guests as they attempted to recreate tiny recipes.
Real Estate
In January 2020, Monica paid $2.594 million for a home in Los Angeles. Today, this home is likely worth $3.5 million. The home is located across the street from her good friends Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.
