Members of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast are reacting to the news that ABC has canceled Taylor Frankie Paul‘s season of The Bachelorette.
The network announced on Thursday, March 19, that they are not moving forward with Taylor’s season amid allegations that she was involved in a domestic violence dispute with ex Dakota Mortensen.
“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, 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,” a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson said in a statement to Us Weekly.
Hours earlier, TMZ released footage that showed Taylor, 31, throwing chairs at Dakota, 33, during a 2023 incident. A rep for Taylor addressed the footage, noting that the act was “reprehensible.” Dakota subsequently filed a protective order against Taylor and requested temporary custody of their son, Ever, 2, both of which were granted.
Taylor and Dakota’s on-and-off relationship has been documented on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives since 2024. The Hulu reality show also stars Whitney Leavitt, Jen Affleck, Demi Engemann, Mikayla Matthews, Mayci Neeley, Jessi Ngatikaura, Layla Taylor and Miranda McWhorter.
Hulu halted production on Mormon Wives season 5 after Taylor and Dakota’s latest incident.
Keep scrolling to see what Taylor’s Secret Lives of Mormon Wives costars have said about the cancellation of her Bachelorette season:
Whitney Leavitt
Whitney Leavitt told Interview magazine in a March 25 profile that she is “still processing” the situation.
“I have a lot of emotions about it and I’m still processing everything that’s happening, but the safety of human beings, especially children, comes first. Always, period, the end,” Whitney said. “I don’t want that to be tolerated. I don’t want that to be overlooked. It’s just so fresh. That’s all I have to say about that.”
Jessi Draper
During her March 25 interview on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Jessi Draper got emotional over the video of Taylor Frankie Paul physically assaulting ex Dakota Mortensen.
“I don’t like to judge someone in their darkest moment. I don’t want to judge the person, I’ll judge the mistake,” Jessi said. “Taylor really has made a lot of changes, and that’s what’s so hard for me. This is my real friend, and she does have a really good heart, and I love her so much.”
The JZ Styles founder stressed that the footage was not representative of Taylor, who merely “got caught in a really bad cycle.”
“Taylor’s such a good person, and she’s made some mistakes, and so has Dakota. I’m not saying any of it’s right, but I know Taylor as a person, and it’s so easy to speculate about these people on a reality show,” Jessi added. “I think when you watch it, we’re characters, we’re not real people, but this is our real lives. I’ve seen Taylor in her darkest moments, holding her crying. I’ve been there for it, so I know what goes on behind the scenes. I want this to be, maybe, a wake-up call for them. Let’s get them help, healthy and happy and move forward. I believe people can come back from things like this, and I just want the kids to be safe and happy and healthy. That’s all I really want for them right now.”
Layla Taylor
Layla Taylor addressed Taylor Frankie Paul’s scandal in a March 20 statement.
“My personal history as a survivor makes it impossible for me to stay silent,” Layla said in a post uploaded to her Instagram Stories. “I stand firmly against domestic violence in any form. I am keeping her children in my thoughts, hoping for their safety above all else.”
Miranda McWhorter
Miranda McWhorter, who joined Mormon Wives in season 2, condemned domestic violence after the resurfaced video of Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen made headlines.
“I’ve honestly been a little at a loss for words trying to process this all,” she wrote via her Instagram Stories on March 20. “Everything has been really heavy to see. Domestic violence and abuse of any kind is something I take very seriously. As a human, and especially a mother, I cannot support that kind of behavior. My heart is with the children in this and I hope they’re safe, supported, and surrounded by love.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
