The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been linked to some off-camera drama as of late due to the legal situation that cast member Taylor Frankie Paul has been embroiled in. Paul was ensnared in an alleged domestic violence investigation, which factored into her already-filmed season of The Bachelorette being shelved. Production on Secret Wives was halted in late March, and there have been questions regarding when it will restart. Now, it seems one star definitely won’t return, but where does that leave Paul?
It’s been reported that Taylor Frankie Paul’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, will not be included in the Season 5 shoot. Per People, Paul herself will also not be on set when the remainder of the season is filmed. Hulu has yet to officially confirm Mortensen and Paul’s exclusions, as of this writing. Also, reps for the former couple have not commented on the matter at this point.
There’s more to the story when it comes to Paul’s position with the show, though. While she apparently won’t be around for the rest of Season 5, TMZ reports that she will return to the show eventually. Paul’s purportedly slowed return is allegedly due to her desire to take a step back from the production for a while and focus on her family, specifically her three kids.
Article continues below
Overall, this still marks a major change for Secret Wives of Mormon Wives from a casting perspective. Both Paul and Mortensen have been key parts of the show throughout its run up to this point, considering how much emphasis has been placed on their relationship. That included the more tumultuous portions of the pair’s romance as well.
Her (now-former) gig on Hulu aside, Taylor Frankie Paul was promoting her season of The Bachelorette when she was drawn into the investigation and lightly referenced the legal matter while doing press. The season was ultimately pulled after 2023 footage of Paul throwing chairs at Mortensen – and injuring her daughter in the process – went viral. That video was linked to Paul’s 2023 arrest, which ended with her reaching an abeyance deal.
This more recent investigation has seen Mortensen and Paul (who share 2-year-old son, Ever True) making claims against each other. Legal documents also showed that Mortensen filed for a protective order against Paul, who was ultimately not charged by Utah authorities. Regardless, many have still spoken about the potentially damaging effects her situation could have on The Bachelorette franchise and Bachelor Nation as a whole moving forward. Ex-Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay even declared the franchise was done due to the incident.
At the same time, there was also speculation regarding what might lie ahead for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives as the 2026 TV schedule continues to play out. It was previously reported that the cast members were seeking to distance themselves from Paul and process the situation. More recently, though, it was also alleged that Paul was attempting to mend fences with her colleagues and had even gotten close with co-star Jessi Draper amid the latter’s divorce from Jordan Ngatikaura.
Even without Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen, though, Secret Lives should still generate its share of entertainment and on-screen drama. The show’s stars have gone viral for other reasons, such as the situation involving Demi Engemann allegedly drinking husband Brett’s pee. Rarely is there a dull moment on the show, but it’ll still be quite different without Paul in the mix.
All four seasons of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives are available to stream with a Hulu subscription.
