{"id":543910,"date":"2026-03-18T05:49:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T05:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/543910\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T05:49:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T05:49:11","slug":"the-secret-lives-of-mormon-wives-filming-on-pause-amid-taylor-frankie-paul-investigation-sources-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/543910\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives\u2019 filming on pause amid Taylor Frankie Paul investigation, sources say"},"content":{"rendered":"

Filming for Season Five of \u201cThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives<\/a>\u201d has been halted as the show\u2019s star, Taylor Frankie Paul, and her ex, Dakota Mortensen, are involved in an \u201congoing investigation,\u201d three sources close to the matter told NBC News on Tuesday. <\/p>\n

The Hulu reality show, which debuted in 2024, follows a group of Utah-based Mormon moms who popularized the online subculture known as \u201cMomTok.\u201d The show has documented Paul and Mortensen\u2019s on-again, off-again relationship, as well as the \u201cMomTok\u201d group\u2019s fallout and rebuilding over the years. <\/p>\n

It has also led to Paul\u2019s biggest role yet: She will be the lead for the new season of ABC\u2019s reality dating show, \u201cThe Bachelorette.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

All three of the sources, who spoke to NBC News on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, declined to provide further details about the investigation on the record. <\/p>\n

\u201cTaylor is very authentic, and that\u2019s part of what people resonate with her,\u201d one of the sources said.<\/p>\n

Representatives for Paul declined to comment. Mortensen also declined to comment.<\/p>\n

During a Tuesday night press preview of “The Bachelorette,” Paul told People<\/a> that her “heart hurts to see it, to go through it, especially at this time.”<\/p>\n

“Just the timing is hard, and it\u2019s a big deal. I feel like every premiere that I\u2019ve experienced, I\u2019ve never enjoyed fully, so this is another one… it\u2019s extremely hard, and it took everything to get me here today,” Paul said.<\/p>\n

She added to the outlet: “It\u2019s just heavy. It\u2019s a heavy time, and it\u2019s unfortunate. I\u2019m struggling for sure, but also at the same time I feel like if I don\u2019t show up, then I\u2019m just giving these opportunities away and not enjoying what we\u2019ve worked on and something super exciting that\u2019s coming. I just feel like it was the right thing to do… show up even though it\u2019s hard.”<\/p>\n

Paul brought fame to \u201cMomTok\u201d when she shared online that some members of the group were involved in a \u201csoft-swinging scandal.\u201d Since the show premiered, Paul\u2019s popularity has exploded as she amassed a whopping 6.1 million followers on TikTok and 2.3 million on Instagram. <\/p>\n

Paul has been trying to handle the investigation privately because of the effect it would have on her kids, her family and her future, the source close to Paul said, adding that she is focused on promotion for \u201cThe Bachelorette,\u201d which airs its first episode Sunday. <\/p>\n

Paul and Mortensen continue to co-parent through an intermediary, the source close to Paul said. Two sources told NBC News that Paul has majority custody of Ever, their 1-year-old son.<\/p>\n

Disney, the parent company of Hulu and ABC, did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

When Hulu executives visited Utah to witness \u201cMormon Wives\u201d in action, they \u201cwitnessed\u201d discussions of domestic violence during filming, a source said, which prompted Hulu to enforce a weeklong break from filming. When new information came to light during the break, cast members told production members that they would not continue to film unless Hulu took action about the situation. <\/p>\n

Paul \u201cneeds help,\u201d one of the sources said, adding that the cast is hopeful production can pause long enough so she can get the care she needs.<\/p>\n

That is where production stands, the source said. It is not clear when filming will resume<\/a>. <\/p>\n

TMZ was the first<\/a> to report the news that \u201cMormon Wives\u201d was taking a break, citing a domestic dispute<\/a> between Paul and Mortensen. <\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the Draper Police Department in Utah told People<\/a> that there is an open \u201cdomestic assault investigation\u201d regarding Paul and Mortensen and that \u201callegations have been made in both directions.\u201d The police spokesperson said that \u201ccontact was made with involved parties on [Feb] 24th and 25th.\u201d <\/p>\n

Reached by NBC News on Monday, the police department declined to confirm the reports of a domestic dispute, saying its practice is \u201cnot to release details related to active investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul was previously arrested and charged with<\/a> assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child, according to Salt Lake County sheriff\u2019s records.<\/p>\n

The arrest stemmed from allegations of a separate domestic violence dispute with Mortensen in 2023, which played out in the first episode of Season One of \u201cMormon Wives.\u201d Ever, their son, was born about a year after that argument. <\/p>\n

In an appearance on Alex Cooper\u2019s \u201cCall Her Daddy\u201d podcast<\/a> in September, Paul said the charges relating to that dispute were dropped. <\/p>\n

The Utah Division of Child and Family Services on Tuesday declined to share information about any possible ongoing case between Paul and Mortensen, citing \u201cconfidentiality and the privacy of the children and families DCFS works with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other lead \u201cMormon Wives\u201d cast members did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Jessi Ngatikaura, one of the women in \u201cMomTok,\u201d appeared to weigh in on filming\u2019s being put on pause.<\/p>\n

She commented on a recent video posted by Zack Peter, the social media personality behind the account No Filter with Zack Peter. In the video<\/a>, he alleged that the \u201cMormon Wives\u201d cast was upset with Paul for \u201cstealing the thunder of the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was never a jealousy thing lol,\u201d Ngatikaura wrote in a comment.<\/p>\n

On Season Four of the show, which debuted last week, viewers learn that Paul and Mortensen spent the night together just before Paul was set to leave town <\/a>to film \u201cThe Bachelorette.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s most recent public appearance was Sunday on the red carpet of the Oscars, which aired on ABC<\/a>.<\/p>\n