The reality show has stopped filming amid domestic violence allegations against Paul.

SLOMW star Whitney Leavitt breaks silence on Taylor Frankie Paul drama

The reality show has stopped filming amid domestic violence allegations against Paul.

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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March 26, 2026 1:09 a.m. ET

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Taylor Frankie Paul and Whitney Leavitt on 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives'. Credit:

Disney/Fred Hayes

Whitney Leavitt, one of Taylor Frankie Paul's costars on *The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives*, has spoken out on what's happening with the reality show.

"I have a lot of emotions about it, and I’m still processing everything that's happening," Leavitt told *Interview Magazine** *for an article published Wednesday. "But the safety of human beings, especially children, comes first. Always, period, the end. And 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."

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Production of the show's fifth season paused this month amid a police investigation into an alleged domestic violence incident between Paul and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. The Draper City Police Department noted that abuse claims had been "made in both directions" and that they were in contact with the couple Feb. 24 and 25.

A spokesman for Utah's West Jordan Police Department confirmed to ** on Wednesday that authorities are investigating an alleged 2024 incident reported by Mortensen.

Video leaked March 19 of a 2023 occurrence appeared to show Paul throwing chairs at Mortensen in the presence of one of her daughters. Afterward, ABC announced that it would no longer air the advertised upcoming season of *The Bachelorette*, which starred Paul.

Mortensen was granted a temporary restraining order against Paul, and he was granted temporary custody of their 2-year-old son, Ever.

Taylor Frankie Paul breaks silence after ABC cancels her 'Bachelorette' season

Taylor Frankie Paul's ex Dakota Mortensen reacts to domestic violence investigation

Her team gave a statement to EW:

"After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm," it read in part.

The statement said there are too many women "suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives."

Both Paul and Mortensen are scheduled to appear in court April 7.

'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' stars Dakota Mortensen and Taylor Frankie Paul.

Disney/Fred Hayes

Meanwhile, Leavitt is not the first of cast members from the Hulu series to weigh in.

Miranda McWhorter, for example, said Friday that she had "been a little at a loss for words trying to process this all. Everything has been really heavy to see. Domestic violence and abuse of any kind if something I take very seriously. As a human, and especially as 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 are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to **thehotline.org**. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.*

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