The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul has broken her silence following recent reports of an alleged domestic violence incident between Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen.
During an interview with Good Morning America’s Lara Spencer ahead of her upcoming debut as The Bachelorette, Paul, 31, said, “I’m a person that will always speak my truth — that’s what I’m known for.”
“So, when the time is right, I will be. But right now, just trying to be in the present moment and focus on this, but the thing is, my kids do come first,” the mother of three said.
Paul said she is just “trying to be here in the present moment, worrying about home and headlines.”
“It’s hard to see past this, I’m not going to lie. In this moment, it’s just so heavy and when your life is broadcasted out there in these headlines, it’s like the end of the world. That’s what it feels like,” she added.
Paul did not elaborate on any details of the alleged incident.
Who is Taylor Frankie Paul?
Paul became known as an influencer in the #MomTok community, a group of women from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sharing their lives on TikTok. She made news when she announced in 2022 that she had “stepped out” of an agreement with her now ex-husband in terms of relationships with other couples involving “soft-swinging” (a form of partner-swapping) and they were getting divorced.
Her popularity on TikTok exploded and she has amassed 6.1 million followers on the app and 2.4 million on Instagram.
Paul and Mortensen’s relationship has been a major storyline on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which follows a group of Mormon mom influencers while they navigate their relationships. The most recent season began airing last week and revealed that Paul and Mortensen spent the night together before she left to star in Season 22 of The Bachelorette, which debuts on March 22.
Paul and Mortensen, who share their nearly two-year-old son Ever True, have had an on-and-off relationship following her split with ex-husband Tate Paul in 2022. She is also mom to eight-year-old Indy and five-year-old Ocean from her previous marriage with Tate.
The domestic violence allegations
A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department confirmed to People and local affiliate ABC4 Utah that there is an open “domestic assault investigation” regarding Paul and Mortensen, 33.
In responses to other outlets, the police department has not revealed any details about the case, citing “privacy” and its “active investigation.”
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Global News has reached out to the Draper City Police Department for further information.
After news of the investigation spread, Paul told People on Tuesday that her “heart hurts to see it, to go through it, especially at this time.”
“Just the timing is hard, and it’s a big deal. I feel like every premiere that I’ve experienced, I’ve never enjoyed fully, so this is another one…. It’s extremely hard, and it took everything to get me here today,” she said of the investigation and the upcoming premiere of The Bachelorette.
“It’s just heavy. It’s a heavy time, and it’s unfortunate,” the influencer continued. “I’m struggling for sure, but also at the same time I feel like if I don’t show up, then I’m just giving these opportunities away and not enjoying what we’ve worked on and something super exciting that’s coming.”
She also told the Hollywood Reporter that it’s been “really difficult and heavy given, you know, all the headlines and what’s going on.”
“But I would say I am handling it like any normal human would, like struggling, but trying to show up at the same time,” she added.
Paul was previously arrested in 2023 for domestic violence following an argument with Mortensen, which was featured in the first season of the reality series. She faced misdemeanour charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child after she was accused of throwing a chair at Mortensen that reportedly hit her daughter, CBS News reports.
The 31-year-old reality star pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in August 2023, while the other charges were dismissed, according to ABC4 Utah.
During an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Paul told host Alex Cooper that the charges stemming from her 2023 arrest “were all dropped.”
“I never had hurt my daughter. I never intentionally did anything with my children,” Paul added.
“After the arrest, I was under so much stress. I was filmed leaving the jail and then that was immediately on the internet,” she said. “It was a blessing in disguise. It helped me wake up.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives filming on ‘pause’
Production on Season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been halted following the investigation into the allegations involving Paul and Mortensen.
During her appearance on Good Morning America on Wednesday, Paul said she doesn’t “call the shots with production.”
Paul, an executive producer on the reality series, did say that she has “gotten word that there’s a pause” in filming but she doesn’t know for how long.
The #MomTok influencer spoke about where she stands with the cast of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on Tuesday after a source previously told People that the cast was “distancing themselves” from Paul amid the situation.
Speaking with the Hollywood Reporter, Paul said, “From my end, I’ve always been good with all of them.”
“I mean, I think we’ve kind of seen how I am very graceful with all the girls, even at their darkest and hardest times. So for me, I feel like the same thing, just with all of them to this day. I have nothing against any of them. So if they have any hesitancy or have an issue with me, that is, you know, their prerogative, not mine,” Paul said.
A source close to the cast told People on Monday that the show is currently “not filming.”
TMZ first reported the shooting stoppage and noted that it currently remains unclear how long production will remain paused or whether cameras will resume rolling soon.
Will The Bachelorette still go ahead?
Paul’s season of The Bachelorette is still set to premiere Sunday, March 22.
U.S network ABC shared a promotional teaser on Tuesday following the reports, signalling that the network plans to proceed with the season.
Paul, who will date 22 men in the upcoming season, is the first Bachelorette to lead the franchise despite never appearing on The Bachelor.
She spoke about the opportunity to become The Bachelorette during her GMA interview on Wednesday, saying, “Dating for me as a mom of three is extremely difficult.”
“I get to go out, get away from my toxic cycle here in Utah and date and also have my kids come out and visit me. That to me seemed like, why not?” she added.
Paul said the experience was exhausting but worth it because “you’re finding the love of your life and that’s what you’re striving for.”
After news of the investigation spread, Paul took to social media and posted a TikTok dancing alongside a mystery man, who never shows his face in the frame.
“I can’t hear you, I’m kinda busy,” she wrote in text over the video, set to Lady Gaga and Beyoncé’s hit song Telephone.
Paul was asked about the TikTok video during her interview and said the man in the video is “someone that’s in my life” but that she “can’t give away too much” because “that would ruin the surprise.”
She also hit the red carpet on Sunday for the 2026 Academy Awards and shared images from the awards show on her Instagram stories on Monday.
ABC, Hulu and Mortensen have not publicly commented on the domestic violence investigation as of this writing.
— With a file from The Associated Press
