Audio obtained by NBC News reveals that cast members of Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives explicitly voiced concerns about Taylor Frankie Paul to ABC executives during a March 7 meeting—just weeks before the network canceled her Bachelorette season. The discussion centered on an open domestic assault investigation and distressing videos, triggering a chain reaction that halted filming on the Mormon Wives spin-off and left Paul isolated from her own cast.
The ABC Meeting: Cast Urges Caution
Newly obtained audio exposes a pivotal moment in reality television drama: on March 7, cast members from Hulu’s viral series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives held a confidential Zoom meeting with top ABC executives to voice serious concerns about their co-star Taylor Frankie Paul. According to NBC News, the discussion centered on Paul’s involvement in an open domestic assault investigation and the existence of “distressing” and “upsetting” videos depicting her alleged conduct.
The meeting convened just weeks after a February incident between Paul and her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, with whom she shares a 2-year-old son. As the Draper Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE, an open domestic assault investigation remains active, with allegations made in both directions. At the time, Paul was poised to star in the 22nd season of The Bachelorette, scheduled to premiere in late March. Yet within days of the ABC meeting, the network abruptly canceled her season—a decision Disney Entertainment Television attributed to the “newly released video” showing Paul throwing chairs at Mortensen in 2023.
During the call, cast members articulated multiple concerns, including:
- Their personal safety and the safety of filming alongside Paul during an active investigation
- The potential damage to the franchise’s brand if Paul’s allegations continued
- The emotional toll of referencing “distressing” and “upsetting” videos of Paul’s alleged conduct
One cast member told executives, “It’s a dangerous situation, it’s a sad situation, and we don’t know how to navigate it, because Taylor is our friend,” per NBC News. The production company had engaged a law firm to investigate the “competing and conflicting allegations” between Paul and Mortensen, and a source told NBC News that engaging further “would have been inappropriate.”
The Video That Stopped a Season
The cancellation followed TMZ’s publication on March 19 of a 2023 video capturing Paul physically attacking Mortensen, including throwing chairs while her young daughter watched. One moment captured Mortensen exclaiming, “Your daughter just got hit in the head by a metal chair.” This footage aligns with Paul’s 2023 arrest for aggravated assault, a charge she pled guilty in abeyance. Paul’s spokesperson later dismissed the video as part of Mortensen’s “desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign,” but the visual evidence proved insurmountable for ABC.
“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 spokesperson told multiple outlets on March 19. The speed of the cancellation—just three days before the scheduled premiere—underscored the severity with which Disney viewed the situation.
Mortensen, for his part, issued his own statement to PEOPLE: “As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation. I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.” He filed for a protective order against Paul on March 17, with a court hearing set for April 7.
Fracturing the Mormon Wives Empire
The audio meeting underscores a broader collapse of Paul’s reality TV ecosystem. Hulu confirmed to PEOPLE on March 16 that filming for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 5 has been halted indefinitely, with one insider citing “some pretty serious stuff happening” regarding Paul’s past. Multiple sources additionally told People that the remaining MomTok stars are actively distancing themselves from Paul, with one stating bluntly, “None of the women want to be associated with her.” This fracture threatens the entire franchise, which surged to fame on Season 4’s viral drama.
Notably, during the March 7 call, Disney executives including Rob Mills, EVP of Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, expressed a disquieting reluctance to engage with the evidence. As NBC News reported, Mills stated, “I don’t know a lot, nor do I want to know too much.” This hands-off approach, described as “concerning” by a cast member, raises questions about corporate due diligence in an era where social media archives can resurface years later.
Fan Disillusionment and Industry Reckoning
For fans of Mormon Wives, the fallout represents a painful paradox. The series built its brand on unfiltered glimpses into the lives of faith-based influencers, with Paul emerging as a breakout star due to her candidness about mental health and relationship struggles. Yet the same authenticity that attracted millions now exposes a fraught reality behind the curated personas. Fan forums buzzed with theories about a potential Season 5 reunion special or spin-off, but the open investigation and video evidence have shifted the conversation toward accountability.
The swift cancellation by ABC—unusual for a lead Bachelorette—signals a new threshold for networks evaluating contestant backgrounds, especially in the post-#MeToo era where past conduct can derail careers overnight. For producers of shows like The Bachelorette, which traditionally frame contestants as seeking love and redemption, the bar for “redemption” has been raised dramatically. The Mormon Wives cast’s decision to escalate their concerns internally, rather than remain silent, may set a precedent for reality stars to hold each other accountable—even at the cost of a friend’s career.
Beyond the corporate maneuvering, the saga centers on two children—Paul’s 2-year-old son Ever with Mortensen, and her older children from a previous marriage. “His number one priority here is protecting [their 1-year-old son], Ever,” a representative for Mortensen told Entertainment Weekly on March 18. Paul, meanwhile, has remained largely silent except for a brief statement to PEOPLE describing the timing as “extremely hard.” Those close to her tell PEOPLE they are “worried for Taylor’s well-being” and urge her to seek help, highlighting the tragic dimensions beneath the headlines.
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If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline offers 24/7 confidential support at 1-800-799-7233 or online at thehotline.org. Services are available in more than 170 languages.
