‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Is Filming Again, and Definitely Without Dakota
TMZ reports that Taylor Frankie Paul will return when she's ready, while People reports that she's def not coming back. So, stay staying tuned.
Photos: Getty Images CelebritiesTV
It’s been over a month since production halted on Hulu’s Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 5, following both domestic assault investigations and allegations between Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen. The only updates we got about the fate of everyone’s (just me?) favorite reality TV show are that Jessi Draper divorced Jordan Ngatikaura, then kissed Miranda Hope’s ex and baby daddy Chase McWhorter; Jen Affleck is maybe or maybe not separated from Zac Affleck; and Mikayla Matthews is maybe or maybe not still separated from Jace Terry, though she just got back from Costa Rica. Would Season 5 have filled in the gaps?! We had no idea.
Until now. On Wednesday, People reported that Season 5 has officially resumed filming, and definitely without Mortensen. However, TMZ reported on Tuesday that Paul would return to filming whenever she feels ready, while People wrote that she also definitely wasn’t coming back. So stay staying tuned, I guess.
The production halt came amid a whirlwind news cycle, beginning with a domestic assault investigation into both Paul and Mortensen, continuing with the release of the disturbing video from their 2023 domestic assault dispute (which was addressed in the first season of the show), and ending with ABC canceling Paul’s season of The Bachelorette, which was days away from premiering.
Mortensen filed a protective order against Paul on March 19, but one month later, prosecutors said they would not be pursuing charges against Paul. Around the same time, Paul was granted a temporary restraining order against Mortensen after she alleged he slammed her head into the dashboard of his truck in February and assaulted her in March 2025, which “left noticeable bruising on various parts of her body.” Mortensen still has primary custody of their two-year-old son, Ever. Their next court hearing is set for April 30.
Like what you just read? You’ve got great taste. Subscribe to Jezebel, and for $5 a month or $50 a year, you’ll get access to a bunch of subscriber benefits, including getting to read the next article (and all the ones after that) ad-free. Plus, you’ll be supporting independent journalism—which, can you even imagine not supporting independent journalism in times like these? Yikes.
Keep scrolling for more great stories.