Production Paused on 'Mormon Wives' Amid Domestic Assault Investigation

Jessi Draper shares behind-the-scenes details on the show's temporary halt.

Mar. 25, 2026 at 4:28pm

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The reality show 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' has temporarily paused production amid an ongoing domestic assault investigation involving cast members Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen. In an interview, cast member Jessi Draper explained that the entire cast decided to stop filming to avoid speaking on the situation before all the facts were known, prioritizing the mental health of everyone involved. The network and production company were supportive of the decision.

Why it matters

The pause in production highlights the challenges reality TV shows face when personal legal issues arise involving cast members. It also shows the cast's commitment to handling the situation responsibly and avoiding rushing to judgment or commentary before all details are known.

The details

Jessi Draper revealed that the cast decided to pause filming as they were starting to 'hear things' about the alleged incident before it was publicly reported. They wanted to avoid having to 'process all this information for the first time and then also be speaking about it' on camera. The network and production company were understanding and supportive of the cast's decision to take a break.

  • The alleged domestic assault incident occurred in early 2026.
  • The cast decided to pause production in March 2026.

The players

Jessi Draper

A cast member on 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' reality show.

Taylor Frankie Paul

A cast member on 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' who is involved in the ongoing domestic assault investigation.

Dakota Mortensen

A cast member on 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' who is involved in the ongoing domestic assault investigation with Taylor Frankie Paul.

Whitney

A former cast member on 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' who was involved in the group discussion about pausing production.

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What they’re saying

“So me and the girls, we did decide to stop filming when we found this out because we were starting to hear things a little bit before it leaked and we just didn't want to be filming and say the wrong thing on camera, not knowing the full story yet. And we didn't wanna like have to process all this information for the first time and then also be speaking about it, you know, so we just thought like for everyone's mental health, let's take a beat and let's not film right now. And that's probably the best thing for everyone in this situation.”

— Jessi Draper, Cast Member

“We went to production and the network and they were also supportive and they were like, 'We totally get it, you guys come, first.' They handled it so well and because of that we all felt like comfortable being like you what this is our real lives and if we want the show to continue to be successful, we have to handle this the right way.”

— Jessi Draper, Cast Member

“Honestly, it was us as a whole. We were on a group message. So we were just like, 'Hey, let's jump on a Zoom call.' And we all got on a Zoom call, even Whitney was on it even though she's not like in our lives every single day anymore. And we all just kind of talked about it as a whole and we're like, 'Hey, how's everyone feeling? Pulse check, how do you wanna handle this?' And we all were unanimously on the same page.”

— Jessi Draper, Cast Member

What’s next

Hulu is reportedly about to start production on a spin-off series set in Orange County.

The takeaway

The pause in production for 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' highlights the challenges reality TV shows face when personal legal issues arise involving cast members. The cast's decision to prioritize mental health and handle the situation responsibly, with the support of the network and production company, demonstrates a thoughtful approach to navigating this sensitive situation.