Inside the Controversy Surrounding “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”: Cast Members React to Backlash

Get ready for an intriguing journey with “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” a new Hulu series debuting this Friday. The show delves into the lives of current and former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), exploring themes of scandal and personal turmoil.

At the heart of the drama is Taylor Frankie Paul, a well-known influencer credited with creating the “MomTok” phenomenon. She assembled a group of Mormon mothers on TikTok, where they gained millions of followers and secured lucrative sponsorships by sharing their daily lives. However, Paul’s public life took a turn in 2022 when she revealed her divorce from her husband, disclosing their involvement in “soft swinging”—a form of consensual partner-swapping—within their Utah community.

This revelation, combined with her subsequent pregnancy with boyfriend Dakota Mortensen—whom she met while still married—sets the stage for much of the series’ drama. Despite the upheaval, Paul reflects on her experiences with a mix of regret and acceptance. “I don’t regret where I am right now,” Paul shared .“I am happy to be where I am. But do I wish I had gone about things differently? Absolutely.”

Paul admits that opening up her relationship and marriage was a mistake. “I would have never opened my relationship and my marriage. I feel like that was a disaster waiting to happen,” she said. “Announcing it to the world, I wish that hadn’t happened either, but it also got us where we are today.”

The show also features a notable conflict between Paul and fellow cast member Whitney Leavitt. The two women, who once collaborated on content creation, now find themselves at odds. Leavitt, who appears to be vying for Paul’s position in the MomTok sphere, says her intent was never to compete but rather to revive their collaborative efforts. “I never really felt a competitive nature with Taylor,” Leavitt told CNN. “I missed getting together with all of the girls and creating content. It just evolved into something unexpected.”

The series’ focus on the women’s LDS affiliations has generated significant debate. Although the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not directly addressed the show, a statement released on their website seemed to allude to it. The message noted that the Church, like other global faith communities, often finds itself depicted in the media in ways that can be either accurate or grossly misrepresentative. “Some portrayals are fair and accurate, but others resort to stereotypes or gross misrepresentations that are in poor taste and have real-life consequences for people of faith,” the statement read.

Jennifer Affleck, a cast member and distant cousin of actor Ben Affleck, has taken the backlash in stride. “It’s probably good that we’ve gotten a little bit of backlash [early] just so we can prepare for when the real stuff comes out,” she told CNN. Her co-star Mikayla Matthews added, “There’s eight episodes for people to give more backlash on. I think we are going to have to go through it with each episode.”

Jessi Ngatikaura, another cast member, expressed understanding for the initial negative reaction but found it surprising given the show’s content. “We knew the title was going to get controversial opinions, but I really hope once people see it, they can give it a second chance and realize it’s so much more than a two-minute trailer and a name,” she said. Ngatikaura emphasized her pride in the series, hoping viewers will see it as an empowering portrayal of women’s struggles.

With all eight episodes now streaming on Hulu, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” invites viewers to explore its rich narrative beyond the initial controversy.