Her brush with fame began with #Momtok, as the self-proclaimed founder of the Utah-based group of Mormon moms that spawned the so-called corner of TikTok<\/a> where they shared choreographed dance videos and light lifestyle content. But in 2022, she rose to notoriety after revealing in a TikTok Live session details about an arrangement she had with her then-husband Tate Paul to pursue intimate relations with other consenting couples (without having extramarital sex); she confessed to violating their agreement by having an emotional affair. The salacious revelation, which became known as the \u201csoft-swinging\u201d scandal<\/a>, lit up social media and, eventually, led to the creation of Hulu\u2019s breakout hit \u201cThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.\u201d Much of Paul\u2019s story across the show\u2019s four seasons has revolved around her rocky relationship with Dakota Mortensen, the man she began dating following her divorce.<\/p>\n Dakota Mortensen and Taylor Frankie Paul in a scene from \u201cThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.\u201d The pair share a 2-year-old son.<\/p>\n (Fred Hayes \/ Disney)<\/p>\n Even as the show documented the lead-up to Paul becoming the new face of \u201cThe Bachelorette,\u201d her biggest screen opportunity yet, the pair\u2019s on-again, off-again dynamic remained as turbulent and confusing as ever, down to the \u201cMormon Wives\u201d season\u2019s final minutes. A despondent Paul nearly upended the start of production on ABC\u2019S dating series when she missed her flight to Los Angeles after sleeping with Mortensen, who is the father of her youngest son, Ever, the night prior. (She took a later one.)<\/p>\n \u201cI was just still stuck in the cycle,\u201d she says, noting she hasn\u2019t watched the \u201cMormon Wives\u201d finale. \u201cThat\u2019s why I knew I had to leave [to do \u2018The Bachelorette\u2019], if that makes sense … I can\u2019t help people understand it because my own brain doesn\u2019t understand it. The only thing I can relate it to is, it is a drug; the toxicity is a drug. It\u2019s always a mind game and I fall for it every time, and I cave and it\u2019s just so dumb. I get exhausted saying it to people because I\u2019m like, \u2018I don\u2019t blame you guys. I\u2019m mad at me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The hook of a 31-year-old mother of three trying to find love \u2014 who unapologetically wears her troubles on her sleeve \u2014 was supposed to be what made her a desirable candidate for the latest crossover experiment to hit Disney\u2019s reality TV universe. But in the week leading up to Sunday\u2019s Season 22 premiere of \u201cThe Bachelorette,\u201d reports surfaced detailing allegations of domestic violence involving Paul and Mortensen. Utah\u2019s Draper City Police Department confirmed there is an open investigation involving the pair; a spokesperson for the department declined to share more details amid the ongoing investigation. But according to a person familiar with the situation, allegations were made by both parties involving incidents on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25, less than a week after our interview. No charges have been filed in the case. <\/p>\n Taylor Frankie Paul in a promotional still from ABC\u2019s \u201cThe Bachelorette,\u201d now on pause.<\/p>\n (Sami Drasin \/ Disney)<\/p>\n Paul was previously arrested and charged in 2023 for a separate dispute involving Mortensen, eventually pleading guilty to one count of aggravated assault; other charges were dropped. Part of that incident was documented in the first season of \u201cMormon Wives.\u201d On Thursday, TMZ published a video<\/a> of the incident, leading Disney Entertainment Television to hit pause on the planned premiere of \u201cThe Bachelorette.\u201d \u201cIn light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of \u2018The Bachelorette\u2019 at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,\u201d the statement from Disney read. Whether the season will be released at a later time or be re-edited remains to be seen, according to a person familiar with the matter. <\/p>\n \u201cTaylor is very grateful for ABC\u2019s support as she prioritizes her family\u2019s safety and security,\u201d read a portion of a statement provided by a representative for Paul. The statement went on to say Paul suffered \u201cextensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation.\u201d<\/p>\n While Season 5 of \u201cThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives\u201d began production in January, cameras were not following Paul during the time of the recent incidents; Paul was focused on publicity commitments for \u201cThe Bachelorette.\u201d Hulu and ABC declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. Mortensen could not be reached for comment. Production on \u201cMormon Wives\u201d is currently on pause and a decision on Paul\u2019s status as a cast member has not been made, according to a person briefed on the situation.<\/p>\n Paul\u2019s chaotic reality now casts a shadow on both shows. The programming experiment aimed at expanding and blending the audiences of ABC\u2019s veteran dating series and Hulu\u2019s budding answer to the \u201cReal Housewives\u201d franchise now becomes an example of too much of a good thing \u2014 in this case, overextending a breakout hit early in its run \u2014 and how it can backfire. And it puts a spotlight on the discourse surrounding vetting failures and oversights in reality TV, as well as the compulsion or limits by viewers to rubberneck, particularly by savvy viewers of a genre that thrives on sordid personal drama.<\/p>\n How the \u2018Mormon Wives\u2019 crossover took shape<\/p>\n At a time when the traditional television landscape faces steep challenges, accelerated by a radical shift in viewing habits spurred by streaming and social media, Disney has been blurring the lines between its linear and streaming properties \u2014 ABC and Hulu \u2014 to maximize the reach of its unscripted assets. \u201cMormon Wives,\u201d which has released four seasons in less than two years, has become a key player in that effort. Earlier this year, two of its cast members, Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, competed against each other on \u201cDancing With the Stars.\u201d And Paul\u2019s casting as \u201cThe Bachelorette\u201d makes her the first heroine who was not a contestant on a previous season of \u201cThe Bachelor.\u201d <\/p>\n Prior to the reports about Paul, The Times spoke to Robert Mills, who leads Walt Disney Television Alternative, as well as show producers, about collaboration efforts within the company\u2019s broadcasting universe as a way to expand and reward viewer curiosity. <\/p>\n Mills, a veteran ABC unscripted executive, said it was a way the company can distinguish itself from its competitors, particularly as it seeks to build Hulu\u2019s unscripted slate against streaming rivals with deeper benches. And the possibilities on how to apply it to \u201cMormon Wives\u201d began the summer ahead of its launch. As \u201cDancing With the Stars\u201d producers were in the final stretch of casting the show\u2019s 33rd season, Mills says there was talk of having one of the women be a contestant on the competition that fall, to coincide with the new show\u2019s arrival. <\/p>\n \u201cI do remember saying, \u2018If it\u2019s not this season, I know we\u2019re going to have somebody next season because you can just feel this,\u201d he says, referring to the energy surrounding \u201cMormon Wives.\u201d \u201cWhen the show took off, then it became, \u2018OK, now we know we\u2019re doing it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n And while having a cast member compete on \u201cDancing With the Stars\u201d may, on its own, create a curiosity factor for audiences of both shows, the added layer of having the journey play out on \u201cThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives\u201d had the potential to heighten the story and viewing experience. And why not have two \u201cMormon Wives\u201d cast members in the same season to see how their competitiveness plays out? So they did. <\/p>\n Dancer Jan Ravnik with partner Jennifer Affleck on \u201cDancing With the Stars.\u201d (Eric McCandless\/Disney) <\/p>\n Mark Ballas and Whitney Leavitt, who reached the semi-finals on the dancing competition series. (Eric McCandless\/Disney) <\/p>\n The casting process for \u201cDWTS\u201d was documented in the third season of \u201cMormon Wives,\u201d with Affleck and Leavitt pitching themselves to ABC executives. And their journey on the competition, including moving their families to Los Angeles and their eventual falling out, is featured in Season 4. <\/p>\n Corporate synergy within the Disney portfolio is nothing new, particularly on \u201cDancing With the Stars.\u201d Disney Night is a recurring themed episode on the competition show, with contestants dancing to Disney, Pixar and Marvel tunes. And the series has featured stars from \u201cBachelor\u201d nation before. But navigating the ins and outs of stories that intertwine without overstepping has required nimbleness.<\/p>\n \u201cWe basically carved out times where they [the \u2018Mormon Wives\u2019 crew] could film rehearsals and we always had a producer present just in case something happened that was dramatically important for our show,\u201d says Conrad Green, the showrunner of \u201cDancing With the Stars.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s like a gentleman\u2019s agreement \u2014 we\u2019re borrowing talent off another show so we have to work together and it works for everyone\u2019s benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n Stretching out a successful series typically leads to spin-offs \u2014 and yes, Mills says, those conversations are happening with \u201cMormon Wives\u201d \u2014 at least at the time of the interview. In the meantime, the crossover strategy has become its key feature. Its third season featured the fallout from an explosive crossover with Hulu\u2019s \u201cVanderpump Villa,\u201d which follows Lisa Vanderpump, a former Bravo star, and her staff at various luxury European estates. MomTok stars Demi Engemann and Jessi Ngatikaura were guests on that show\u2019s second season and got embroiled in drama with staff member Marciano Brunette, who alleges he had intimate connections with both women. The recent fourth season of \u201cMormon Wives\u201d revisits the crossover, with some of the women\u2019s spouses partaking in their own \u201cVilla\u201d getaway that fuels more drama. <\/p>\n Layla Taylor, left, Jessie Ngatikaura, Mikayla Matthews and Demi Engemann of \u201cThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives\u201d at the castle in \u201cVanderpump Villa.\u201d<\/p>\n (Andrea Miconi \/ Disney)<\/p>\n Paul\u2019s casting in \u201cThe Bachelor\u201d universe continues the long-running franchise\u2019s efforts to revamp as it ages, to mixed results. In 2021, the franchise cast its first Black male lead; last year, it entered the senior citizen dating space with spin-off \u201cGolden Bachelor.\u201d <\/p>\n After Paul posted a TikTok in June 2025 jokingly announcing her \u201cbid\u201d as a single mother looking for love, members of the company\u2019s publicity department took notice and, before long, discussions began. When the idea to bring on a star outside the franchise was presented to\u201dThe Bachelorette\u201d showrunner Scott Teti, he did some homework.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, I had heard of her \u2014 it\u2019s hard not to hear of that name,\u201d he says. \u201cBut I had to familiarize myself with it because I hadn\u2019t watched her show. Instantly, you realize how honest and truthful she is, almost to a fault. Although she\u2019s unrelatable in a lot of ways, with the attention she gets from media and social media … she has a layered story that I think is very relatable to a lot of people \u2014 being a single mother and not having success in past relationships and still really wanting to find love.\u201d<\/p>\n He adds that though she was a \u201cfish out of water\u201d the first night, she found her way. \u201cShe made herself vulnerable and she finally let her walls down and made herself open to being in a relationship, finding someone,\u201d he says. \u201cAt the same time, because she is used to doing things her own way, and not really caring what anybody thinks, that is what made it interesting. That is why this season is so big, and there are so many pivotal points in the season that will leave you on the edge of your seat.\u201d<\/p>\n At least that was the plan. <\/p>\n Dressed in beige lounge pants and an oversize T-shirt adorned with mushrooms when we meet, Paul is affable despite her sluggish demeanor as she navigates the schedule demands in this window between \u201cMormon Wives\u201d Season 4 and her debut as \u201cThe Bachelorette.\u201d She pulls out her phone to share a series of TikTok videos that capture what she says is her current mental state \u2014 one<\/a> features a man sarcastically talking about how he\u2019d rather be petty than regulate his emotions. No stranger to finding a wide audience with viral videos, Paul sees the crossovers as \u201cgenius marketing.\u201d But also acknowledged their potential challenges to #MomTok.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s really cool to see all the different opportunities you can venture off into,\u201d she says. \u201cI think the con of that, with #MomTok, is that with all the opportunities, it kind of spreads us apart. We\u2019re doing our own thing. It could break friendships. You\u2019re getting envious. You get competitive.\u201d<\/p>\n As the cast\u2019s fame and opportunities grow, whether across Disney or outside of it \u2014 Leavitt, for example, is starring as Roxie Hart in \u201cChicago\u201d on Broadway \u2014 the way to keep the series interesting is to incorporate all those moments into the show rather than pretend they live outside of it. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have not shied away from breaking the fourth wall,\u201d says \u201cMormon Wives\u201d showrunner Andrea Metz. \u201cWe have not shied away from talking about what is really happening with them. And I think that people like that. The trajectory of their fame and their stars rising has been very quick, but it\u2019s also been really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n And the highs and lows are in full view, as this week proves.<\/p>\n Was she ready for \u2018The Bachelorette\u2019?<\/p>\n How all this might impact #MomTok \u2014 the power of their clique to withstand the various in-fighting and drama has become a perennial concern each season \u2014 is already playing out in the headlines. <\/p>\n Before recent allegations against Paul threatened the outcome of \u201cThe Bachelorette,\u201d Paul\u2019s entanglement with Mortensen had already cast doubt for some viewers of both franchises about whether she went into the dating series with any seriousness. The break between wrapping \u201cMormon Wives\u201d and starting filming on \u201cThe Bachelorette\u201d was one day. Paul admits she isn\u2019t sure she was ready for the experience. <\/p>\n \u201cI might not have been ready, but ready is a decision \u2014 just do it,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was like a rehab, almost. It\u2019s full detox. I had no contact \u2014 in no world does it happen with the co-parent. Whether or not I was ready, it was what was so needed for me, at the very least to just get away from it. And I wanted to find someone and love.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018The Bachelorette\u2019 is one of the hardest things I ever did,\u201d she continues, \u201cbut also the most amazing things I ever did. I have my kids back home. I\u2019m not just here looking for me. The emotional exhaustion was a lot. I\u2019m dating 20-something guys. I am putting my all into one conversation after the other, every single day, all day. Your brain is just kind of fried.\u201d<\/p>\n Then she considers a question that didn\u2019t feel as prescient then: Does she feel like it broke the cycle she\u2019s had with Mortensen? <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I feel like it helped,\u201d she says. \u201cObviously things \u2014 [we\u2019re] within the process of the show, I can\u2019t speak on it yet. But you\u2019ll see it all unravel.\u201d<\/p>\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773998479_994_.jpeg\")
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