Veronica Mars was the first major role Kristen Bell had.
Kristen Bell . Bell gained critical acclaim for her first major role as the title character in the teen noir drama television series Veronica Mars ( 2004 -- 07 ) . Veronica Mars . The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune , California , and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character . Veronica Mars is the fictional protagonist , occasional narrator ( through voiceovers ) , and antiheroine of the American television series Veronica Mars , which aired on UPN from 2004 to 2006 and on The CW from 2006 to 2007 . The character was portrayed by Kristen Bell through the duration of the series .