Hulu's "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" Resumes Production Without Star Taylor Frankie Paul
Production for the hit Hulu reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is officially getting back underway following an extended hiatus. Cameras had been sidelined since mid-March in the wake of public domestic violence allegations involving series star Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen.
The decision to pause production was initially driven by the cast. In March, cast member Mikayla Matthews shared on social media that the group had come together to stop filming, stating that it was: “a decision that all us girls came up with and agreed on” because they “didn’t feel comfortable filming with everything that was happening.”
The pause in production followed a wave of intense scrutiny regarding Paul and Mortensen’s volatile relationship, which included police investigations, 911 audio, and body camera footage. However, the legal outlook for Paul has shifted in recent weeks. On April 14th, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office announced it would not pursue criminal charges against her, citing a lack of evidence and statute of limitations issues.
Despite this win in the criminal courts, the pair remains embroiled in a family court dispute over custody of their two-year-old son, Ever. Currently, a judge has granted Mortensen temporary custody, with Paul limited to eight hours of supervised visitation per week. The court is set to revisit the matter on April 30th to determine the future of the protective orders filed by both parties.
While production is restarting, the status of Paul and Mortensen’s presence on the show remains a point of speculation. Reports differ on whether the former couple will appear on camera, though sources close to the show have suggested that Paul’s current focus is primarily on her children and family.
The legal and personal drama surrounding Paul has already impacted her broader career. Shortly after disturbing footage from a 2023 domestic violence incident involving the pair surfaced earlier this year, ABC cancelled her upcoming season of The Bachelorette just days before it was scheduled to premiere.
While it remains to be seen how the show will navigate the ongoing custody battle, sources close to the production have said that the cast and crew are supportive of Paul returning to the series whenever she feels prepared to do so.
