We Talked To 'bachelorette' Taylor Frankie Paul. Then Reality Hit Pause On Her Tv Career

“The champion measurement I tin picture it is, it’s an addiction,” says Taylor Frankie Paul.

The prima of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” is seated by a model successful an quiet Starbucks wrong a downtown Salt Lake City hotel, reflecting connected her narration troubles successful an question and reply Feb. 19. Followers of Paul’s surface life are each excessively acquainted pinch nan drama. Now, others can’t flight knowing astir it too.

Days later, a conflict pinch her on-again, off-again partner would lead to an investigation by constabulary that surfaced successful aggregate news reports this week, and connected Thursday, nan merchandise of a video signaling of a abstracted conflict successful 2023 would lead to a region connected “The Bachelorette,” her latest starring domiciled connected reality TV, 3 days earlier it was group to premiere.

Her brushwood pinch fame began pinch #Momtok, arsenic nan self-proclaimed laminitis of nan Utah-based group of Mormon moms that spawned nan alleged area of TikTok wherever they shared choreographed creation videos and ray manner content. But successful 2022, she roseate to notoriety aft revealing successful a TikTok Live convention specifications astir an statement she had pinch her then-husband Tate Paul to prosecute friendly relations pinch different consenting couples (without having extramarital sex); she confessed to violating their statement by having an affectional affair. The salacious revelation, which became known arsenic nan “soft-swinging” scandal, lit up societal media and, eventually, led to nan creation of Hulu’s breakout deed “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” Much of Paul’s communicative crossed nan show’s 4 seasons has revolved astir her rocky narration pinch Dakota Mortensen, nan man she began making love pursuing her divorce.

Even arsenic nan show documented nan lead-up to Paul becoming nan caller look of “The Bachelorette,” her biggest surface opportunity yet, nan pair’s on-again, off-again move remained arsenic turbulent and confusing arsenic ever, down to nan “Mormon Wives” season’s last minutes. A despondent Paul astir upended nan commencement of accumulation connected ABC’S making love bid erstwhile she missed her formation to Los Angeles aft sleeping pinch Mortensen, who is nan begetter of her youngest son, Ever, nan nighttime prior. (She took a later one.)

“I was conscionable still stuck successful nan cycle,” she says, noting she hasn’t watched nan “Mormon Wives” finale. “That’s why I knew I had to time off [to do ‘The Bachelorette’], if that makes consciousness ... I can’t thief group understand it because my ain encephalon doesn’t understand it. The only point I tin subordinate it to is, it is simply a drug; nan toxicity is simply a drug. It’s ever a mind crippled and I autumn for it each time, and I cave and it’s conscionable truthful dumb. I get exhausted saying it to group because I’m like, ‘I don’t blasted you guys. I’m huffy astatine me.’”

The hook of a 31-year-old mother of 3 trying to find emotion — who unapologetically wears her troubles connected her sleeve — was expected to beryllium what made her a desirable campaigner for nan latest crossover research to deed Disney’s reality TV universe. But successful nan week starring up to Sunday’s Season 22 premiere of “The Bachelorette,” reports surfaced detailing allegations of home unit involving Paul and Mortensen. Utah’s Draper City Police Department confirmed location is an unfastened investigation involving nan pair; a spokesperson for nan section declined to stock much specifications amid nan ongoing investigation. But according to a personification acquainted pinch nan situation, allegations were made by some parties involving incidents connected Feb. 24 and Feb. 25, little than a week aft our interview. No charges person been revenge successful nan case.

Taylor Frankie Paul successful a promotional still from ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” now connected pause.

(Sami Drasin / Disney)

Paul was antecedently arrested and charged successful 2023 for a abstracted conflict involving Mortensen, yet pleading blameworthy to 1 count of aggravated assault; different charges were dropped. Part of that incident was documented successful nan first play of “Mormon Wives.” On Thursday, TMZ published a video of nan incident, starring Disney Entertainment Television to deed region connected nan planned premiere of “The Bachelorette.” “In ray of nan recently released video conscionable surfaced today, we person made nan determination to not move guardant pinch nan caller play of ‘The Bachelorette’ astatine this time, and our attraction is connected supporting nan family,” nan connection from Disney read. Whether nan play will beryllium released astatine a later clip aliases beryllium re-edited remains to beryllium seen, according to a personification acquainted pinch nan matter.

“Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support arsenic she prioritizes her family’s information and security,” publication a information of a connection provided by a typical for Paul. The connection went connected to opportunity Paul suffered “extensive intelligence and beingness maltreatment arsenic good arsenic threats of retaliation.”

While Season 5 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” began accumulation successful January, cameras were not pursuing Paul during nan clip of nan caller incidents; Paul was focused connected publicity commitments for “The Bachelorette.” Hulu and ABC declined to remark connected nan ongoing investigation. Mortensen could not beryllium reached for comment. Production connected “Mormon Wives” is presently connected region and a determination connected Paul’s position arsenic a formed personnel has not been made, according to a personification briefed connected nan situation.

Paul’s chaotic reality now casts a protector connected some shows. The programming research aimed astatine expanding and blending nan audiences of ABC’s seasoned making love bid and Hulu’s budding reply to nan “Real Housewives” franchise now becomes an illustration of excessively overmuch of a bully point — successful this case, overextending a breakout deed early successful its tally — and really it tin backfire. And it puts a spotlight connected nan sermon surrounding vetting failures and oversights successful reality TV, arsenic good arsenic nan compulsion aliases limits by viewers to rubberneck, peculiarly by savvy viewers of a genre that thrives connected sordid personification drama.

How nan ‘Mormon Wives’ crossover took shape

At a clip erstwhile nan accepted tv scenery faces steep challenges, accelerated by a extremist displacement successful viewing habits spurred by streaming and societal media, Disney has been blurring nan lines betwixt its linear and streaming properties — ABC and Hulu — to maximize nan scope of its unscripted assets. “Mormon Wives,” which has released 4 seasons successful little than 2 years, has go a cardinal subordinate successful that effort. Earlier this year, 2 of its formed members, Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, competed against each different connected “Dancing With nan Stars.” And Paul’s casting arsenic “The Bachelorette” makes her nan first heroine who was not a contestant connected a erstwhile play of “The Bachelor.”

Prior to nan reports astir Paul, The Times said to Robert Mills, who leads Walt Disney Television Alternative, arsenic good arsenic show producers, astir collaboration efforts wrong nan company’s broadcasting beingness arsenic a measurement to grow and reward spectator curiosity.

Mills, a seasoned ABC unscripted executive, said it was a measurement nan institution tin separate itself from its competitors, peculiarly arsenic it seeks to build Hulu’s unscripted slate against streaming rivals pinch deeper benches. And nan possibilities connected really to use it to “Mormon Wives” began nan summertime up of its launch. As “Dancing With nan Stars” producers were successful nan last agelong of casting nan show’s 33rd season, Mills says location was talk of having 1 of nan women beryllium a contestant connected nan title that fall, to coincide pinch nan caller show’s arrival.

“I do retrieve saying, ‘If it’s not this season, I cognize we’re going to person personification adjacent play because you tin conscionable consciousness this,” he says, referring to nan power surrounding “Mormon Wives.” “When nan show took off, past it became, ‘OK, now we know we’re doing it.’”

And while having a formed personnel compete connected “Dancing With nan Stars” may, connected its own, create a curiosity facet for audiences of some shows, nan added furniture of having nan travel play retired connected “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” had nan imaginable to heighten nan communicative and viewing experience. And why not person 2 “Mormon Wives” formed members successful nan aforesaid play to spot really their competitiveness plays out? So they did.

The casting process for “DWTS” was documented successful nan 3rd play of “Mormon Wives,” pinch Affleck and Leavitt pitching themselves to ABC executives. And their travel connected nan competition, including moving their families to Los Angeles and their eventual falling out, is featured successful Season 4.

Corporate synergy wrong nan Disney portfolio is thing new, peculiarly connected “Dancing With nan Stars.” Disney Night is simply a recurring themed section connected nan title show, pinch contestants dancing to Disney, Pixar and Marvel tunes. And nan bid has featured stars from “Bachelor” federation before. But navigating nan ins and outs of stories that intertwine without overstepping has required nimbleness.

“We fundamentally carved retired times wherever they [the ‘Mormon Wives’ crew] could movie rehearsals and we ever had a shaper coming conscionable successful lawsuit thing happened that was dramatically important for our show,” says Conrad Green, nan showrunner of “Dancing With nan Stars.” “It’s for illustration a gentleman’s statement — we’re borrowing talent disconnected different show truthful we person to activity together and it useful for everyone’s benefit.”

Stretching retired a successful bid typically leads to spin-offs — and yes, Mills says, those conversations are happening pinch “Mormon Wives” — astatine slightest astatine nan clip of nan interview. In nan meantime, nan crossover strategy has go its cardinal feature. Its 3rd play featured nan fallout from an explosive crossover pinch Hulu’s “Vanderpump Villa,” which follows Lisa Vanderpump, a erstwhile Bravo star, and her unit astatine various luxury European estates. MomTok stars Demi Engemann and Jessi Ngatikaura were guests connected that show’s 2nd play and sewage embroiled successful play pinch unit personnel Marciano Brunette, who alleges he had friendly connections pinch some women. The caller 4th play of “Mormon Wives” revisits nan crossover, pinch immoderate of nan women’s spouses partaking successful their ain “Villa” getaway that fuels much drama.

Layla Taylor, left, Jessie Ngatikaura, Mikayla Matthews and Demi Engemann of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” astatine nan castle successful “Vanderpump Villa.”

(Andrea Miconi / Disney)

Paul’s casting successful “The Bachelor” beingness continues nan long-running franchise’s efforts to revamp arsenic it ages, to mixed results. In 2021, nan franchise formed its first Black antheral lead; past year, it entered nan elder national making love abstraction pinch spin-off “Golden Bachelor.”

After Paul posted a TikTok successful June 2025 jokingly announcing her “bid” arsenic a azygous mother looking for love, members of nan company’s publicity section took announcement and, earlier long, discussions began. When nan thought to bring connected a prima extracurricular nan franchise was presented to”The Bachelorette” showrunner Scott Teti, he did immoderate homework.

“Of course, I had heard of her — it’s difficult not to perceive of that name,” he says. “But I had to familiarize myself pinch it because I hadn’t watched her show. Instantly, you recognize really honorable and truthful she is, almost to a fault. Although she’s unrelatable successful a batch of ways, pinch nan attraction she gets from media and societal media ... she has a layered communicative that I deliberation is very relatable to a batch of group — being a azygous mother and not having occurrence successful past relationships and still really wanting to find love.”

He adds that though she was a “fish retired of water” nan first night, she recovered her way. “She made herself susceptible and she yet fto her walls down and made herself unfastened to being successful a relationship, uncovering someone,” he says. “At nan aforesaid time, because she is utilized to doing things her ain way, and not really caring what anybody thinks, that is what made it interesting. That is why this play is truthful big, and location are truthful galore pivotal points successful nan play that will time off you connected nan separator of your seat.”

At slightest that was nan plan.

Dressed successful beige lounge pants and an oversize T-shirt adorned pinch mushrooms erstwhile we meet, Paul is affable contempt her sluggish demeanor arsenic she navigates nan schedule demands successful this model betwixt “Mormon Wives” Season 4 and her debut arsenic “The Bachelorette.” She pulls retired her telephone to stock a bid of TikTok videos that seizure what she says is her existent intelligence authorities — one features a man sarcastically talking astir really he’d alternatively beryllium petty than modulate his emotions. No alien to uncovering a wide assemblage pinch viral videos, Paul sees nan crossovers arsenic “genius marketing.” But besides acknowledged their imaginable challenges to #MomTok.

“I deliberation it’s really cool to spot each nan different opportunities you tin task disconnected into,” she says. “I deliberation nan con of that, pinch #MomTok, is that pinch each nan opportunities, it benignant of spreads america apart. We’re doing our ain thing. It could break friendships. You’re getting envious. You get competitive.”

As nan cast’s fame and opportunities grow, whether crossed Disney aliases extracurricular of it — Leavitt, for example, is starring arsenic Roxie Hart successful “Chicago” connected Broadway — nan measurement to support nan bid absorbing is to incorporated each those moments into nan show alternatively than dress they unrecorded extracurricular of it.

“We person not shied distant from breaking nan 4th wall,” says “Mormon Wives” showrunner Andrea Metz. “We person not shied distant from talking astir what is really happening pinch them. And I deliberation that group for illustration that. The trajectory of their fame and their stars rising has been very quick, but it’s besides been really exciting.”

And nan highs and lows are successful afloat view, arsenic this week proves.

Was she fresh for ‘The Bachelorette’?

How each this mightiness effect #MomTok — nan powerfulness of their clique to withstand nan various in-fighting and play has go a perennial interest each play — is already playing retired successful nan headlines.

Before caller allegations against Paul threatened nan result of “The Bachelorette,” Paul’s entanglement pinch Mortensen had already formed uncertainty for immoderate viewers of some franchises astir whether she went into nan making love bid pinch immoderate seriousness. The break betwixt wrapping “Mormon Wives” and starting filming connected “The Bachelorette” was 1 day. Paul admits she isn’t judge she was fresh for nan experience.

“I mightiness not person been ready, but fresh is simply a determination — conscionable do it,” she says. “It was for illustration a rehab, almost. It’s afloat detox. I had nary interaction — successful nary world does it hap pinch nan co-parent. Whether aliases not I was ready, it was what was truthful needed for me, astatine nan very slightest to conscionable get distant from it. And I wanted to find personification and love.”

“‘The Bachelorette’ is 1 of nan hardest things I ever did,” she continues, “but besides nan astir astonishing things I ever did. I person my kids backmost home. I’m not conscionable present looking for me. The affectional exhaustion was a lot. I’m making love 20-something guys. I americium putting my each into 1 speech aft nan other, each azygous day, each day. Your encephalon is conscionable benignant of fried.”

Then she considers a mobility that didn’t consciousness arsenic prescient then: Does she consciousness for illustration it collapsed nan rhythm she’s had pinch Mortensen?

“Yeah, I consciousness for illustration it helped,” she says. “Obviously things — [we’re] wrong nan process of nan show, I can’t speak connected it yet. But you’ll spot it each unravel.”