Layla Taylor has confirmed she sees no path forward for her friendship with Taylor Frankie Paul following cast feuds on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Speaking exclusively to E! News at Page Six's Virtual Reali-Tea Awards 2026 in New York City on Sept. 6, the 25-year-old reality star cited harmful behavior as her reason for stepping back.
Taylor, who shares two young children with ex-husband Clayton Wessel, said the drama surrounding Paul made distancing herself necessary. "No," Taylor said regarding a reconciliation. "I think for me personally, the behaviors in her relationship were hard to watch, and then she started to be hateful towards me and my friends and say some really harmful things."
The rift follows wider fractures among the cast, including Mikayla Matthews shocking fans by announcing her exit from the show amid a bitter feud with Paul. Despite the shakeup, Taylor expressed confidence in the group's future. "For the women that are still involved, [we're] strong," Taylor said. "You'll see a lot of a healthy dynamic in season six and I'm excited for the audience see that."
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives follows a group of Utah-based Mormon influencers known as MomTok, who gained viral fame on TikTok before starring in their own Hulu unscripted series. The show documents their personal lives, business ventures, and public controversies, which have repeatedly strained group relationships.
Taylor added that she holds no ill will toward Paul. "I wish her well," Taylor said, "but I think personally for me and my mental health, I need to take a step back." Costar Miranda Hope, 28, also expressed optimism on the red carpet. "When is there not a few shakeups in MomTok?" Hope asked, adding that the cast is figuring out a new dynamic and promising "there's a light at the end of the tunnel."
Utah arrest and domestic violence charges
Tension among the cast follows months of legal friction between Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen as they contested custody of their two-year-old son Ever. The issues trace back to Feb. 17, 2023, when Paul was arrested in Utah following a dispute with Mortensen. A police affidavit obtained by ABC 4 Utah alleged Paul threw metal chairs and a wooden playset at Mortensen while one of her two children with ex-husband Tate Paul was present in the room.
Salt Lake County District Attorney court documents obtained by E! News showed Paul was charged with one count of felony aggravated assault, two counts of felony domestic violence in the presence of a child causing injury, one count of misdemeanor child abuse, and one count of misdemeanor criminal mischief. A Herriman Police Department officer stated Mortensen reported Paul hit him as he attempted to leave the residence.
In August 2023, Paul pleaded guilty to third-degree felony aggravated assault, per court documents obtained by the Salt Lake Tribune, while four other charges were dismissed with prejudice. Her plea was held in abeyance for three years, after which the charge will be entered as a Class A misdemeanor if she completes recommended substance abuse and domestic violence evaluations without violating major laws.
Hulu premiere and podcast revelations
Paul and Mortensen welcomed their son on March 19, 2024, a week early, sharing an Instagram hospital photo on April 4, 2024, captioned, "We've had the best two weeks with him. We all love you so much, thank you for blending our family." Five months later, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered on Hulu on Sept. 6, 2024, featuring Paul's 2023 arrest in its first episode.
In a September 2024 interview with E! News, Paul called the altercation their "rock bottom for sure," noting Mortensen stood by her and said, "I want to help you out of this." On the Viall Files podcast that month, Paul attributed her state to an ectopic pregnancy and a chemical pregnancy prior to the fight, admitting, "I don't want to blame hormones, but I will put that into account. Like, I am pretty whack."
Paul confessed to drinking that night and losing control during the argument. "I remember throwing things, and I don't know my daughters on the couch. We had babysitters there, so I think they're upstairs sleeping," Paul said, adding that when Mortensen warned her that her five-year-old daughter was present, "I'm like so gone I don't care, and I throw another chair."
On May 18, 2025, Paul confirmed their split on TikTok: "Dakota isn't mine anymore, wish him the best." On the season two premiere, Paul revealed Mortensen cheated shortly after their son's birth, saying, "Dakota and I were living together and in bliss with our new baby, and I was even considering engagement... And then I learned that he was lying this entire time." Mortensen later confessed on a season four FaceTime call to an affair with friend Shinia Powell, admitting, "Was it dumb of me? Yes. Could I have picked someone else? Yes. Who it was matters, and that's where I think I went wrong. I picked somebody that was obviously going to come with problems, and that was very s--tty of me to do."
Bachelorette cancellation and leaked video
Despite the split, Paul was named lead for season 22 of ABC's The Bachelorette on Sept. 10, 2025, confirming it on Call Her Daddy. In a teaser, Paul said, "I do believe I was gifted this for another chapter in my life," adding, "I've been criticized, I've been judged and I've been rejected, but anyone that takes the time to know me will see that I'm actually a genuine person and I mean well and a person that deserves another chance at love." Prior to filming, Mortensen apologized on a FaceTime call shown on Mormon Wives season four. Paul called the show "the best break and breakoff of our cycle," while Mortensen replied, "I'm happy for you. I want you to be happy. That's what I'm saying, if you find someone, like, great. But all I'm gonna say, save a rose for me, 'kay?"
Mormon Wives season five filming paused in February 2026 after a new dispute between Paul and Mortensen. Draper City Police confirmed to People on March 16 that an open domestic assault investigation was active after contact on Feb. 24 and 25. A source told E! News that Paul "owns her mistakes, all she wants to do is protect her son, Ever, from stories in the press or anything negative about his father and wants him to think well of his father."
On March 19, 2026, TMZ published 2023 video footage of Paul putting Mortensen in a headlock and throwing barstools while Mortensen declared, "Look, this is called physical abuse," and urged her to help her five-year-old daughter. Mortensen told Paul, "You did this," while Paul accused him of pushing her to the floor before recording and shouted, "Get away from my daughter." An officer declaration confirmed the child was hit by a stool. Paul's rep told E! News the video was a "destructive campaign to harm" her that "conveniently omits context" to "distract" from Mortensen's actions, which Mortensen denied as "baseless."
Following the video release, Disney Entertainment announced ABC cancelled Paul's season of The Bachelorette on March 19, 2026, stating, "We have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family." Paul's rep stated Paul was grateful for ABC's support as she prioritizes family safety after "silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation," adding, "There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives." Her rep noted Paul was preparing to own and share her story.
Mortensen told E! News on March 19, 2026, "As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation." Mortensen added, "I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny," noting he was focusing on their son's safety and hoping Paul would do the same.
Custody orders and final prosecutor decision
Mortensen was granted temporary custody of Ever on March 20, 2026, after obtaining a protective order that specified "no parent time is allowed" for Paul until an April 7 hearing, according to documents obtained by People. On March 24, 2026, West Jordan Police told NBC News they were investigating a third alleged domestic violence incident from 2024 reported by Mortensen.
The legal disputes concluded on April 14, 2026, when the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office announced in a news release, reported by the Salt Lake Tribune, that no new charges would be filed against Paul following reviews by multiple attorneys due to the high profile of the defendant. The decision came after an April 7 court hearing granted Paul supervised visitation with Ever, allowing the cast to move forward into season six.
