TikTok influencer and reality TV star Taylor Frankie Paul is back in the spotlight, thanks to the return of Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
The popular reality series, now in its third season, follows a group of Utah-based Mormon mothers who went viral for creating dance videos and content about motherhood on TikTok. In the series, the friend group, sometimes referred to as “MomTok,” is constantly embroiled in drama—with Paul often right in the middle of it.
For the 31-year-old, the “hardest part” of starring in the series is watching it back after resolving conflicts with her costars.
“Because, yes, it is a job. But at the end of the day, these are actual friendships to some of us, and to go back and watch really hard scenes, of course it re-triggers it all,” Paul told The Hollywood Reporter in November. “I have to mentally prepare [myself] that that is not where I am now, even though those same feelings are resurfacing. There is definitely a mental game with that, and it can be really hard.”
Here’s what you should know about Taylor Frankie Paul.
How Did Taylor Frankie Paul Create “MomTok”?
The social media influencer isn’t just a member of “MomTok,” she’s the self-proclaimed founder of the group. Paul started the tight-knit TikTok community in 2020, inviting other Mormon moms in Utah to create content together, in which they participate in viral dance trends, share beauty and lifestyle routines, and talk about motherhood and religion.
By 2022, the women of MomTok had become well-known influencers. In addition to Paul, the original MomTok crew included fellow Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Whitney Leavitt, Mikayla Matthews, and Mayci Neeley.
What Was Taylor Frankie Paul’s ‘Soft-Swinging’ Scandal?
In May 2022, Paul made headlines when she revealed in a viral TikTok livestream that she was getting divorced. She and then-husband Tate Paul had been engaging in non-monogamy and “soft-swinging,” meaning no one was allowed to “go all the way” without their spouses present, she explained in the video.
In an even more shocking revelation, Paul claimed other MomTok members and their husbands were involved in this swinging group, though she didn’t name names. “Everyone has hooked up with like everyone,” Paul said at the time.
The influencer explained she had a brief affair with one of the men in the soft-swinging group, which ultimately lead to her divorce. While several MomTok couples denied the allegations, Miranda McWhorter, who appeared in the show’s second season, eventually admitted that she and ex-husband Chase McWhorter were involved in the swinging scandal.
Was Taylor Frankie Paul Almost on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City?
Before she was cast on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Paul considered joining The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC). Appearing on an episode of reality star Scheana Shay’s Scheananigans podcast in September 2024, the reality star revealed that she interviewed for RHOSLC first, but was told she was too boring for the Bravo show.
“And basically … a little birdie told me, ‘You didn’t have enough drama in your life,’” she said. “I was obviously not admitting to what we were up to.”
Why Was Taylor Frankie Paul Arrested—and What Happened After?
Just after Paul began filming the first season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, she got into some serious legal trouble. In February 2023, she was arrested for assault and domestic violence after a drunken argument with then-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, turned physical. Body camera footage of the arrest was featured on the show. She admitted to police that she threw metal chairs and a wooden play set at Mortensen, which inadvertently hit one of her kids.
“I never intentionally did anything with my children,” the influencer later explained on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast in September 2025.
Paul was initially charged with aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence, child abuse with injury, and criminal mischief. Upon reaching a plea deal in August 2023, she pleaded guilty to the assault charge, while the others were dismissed. As part of the agreement, Paul was ordered to obtain substance abuse and domestic violence evaluations. She was sentenced to one day in jail, with credit for time served.
Even after the incident, however, Paul and Mortensen continued to date and even had a child together. Their on-again-off-again relationship officially ended in September 2024.
How Many Children Does Taylor Frankie Paul Have?
Paul is a mother of three young kids. She shares two children—a daughter named Indy and a son named Ocean—with her ex-husband, and her son Ever, with her ex-boyfriend, Mortensen. Her eldest, Indy, was born in August 2017—just nine months after she married Tate—and was soon followed by Ocean in June 2020. Four years later, she welcomed her youngest, Ever, in March 2024.
What Has Taylor Frankie Paul Said About Her Father?
Paul, who was raised by her mom and stepdad, Liann and Jeremy May, revealed during season 2 of Mormon Wives that she only met her biological father once before he died. Recalling the meeting in an emotional confessional, she said, “My mom took me to a restaurant. I don’t know how old I was, 4 maybe, and he sees me, and he’s like ‘What’s up kid!’ And that’s literally like all he says to me, and I remembered like turning around and going back to my booth.”
This negative experience, and her dad’s absence in her life before his death, continues to affect her. “When you feel like your dad does not love you, and that’s the only words he has to say to you, I think there’s just a wound there that’s been there for a very long time that I’ve never addressed,” she added.
Taylor Frankie Paul Is the Next Star of The Bachelorette, Premiering March 22, 2026
Paul has been cast as the next Bachelorette, making her the first lead who hasn’t previously competed in The Bachelor franchise. The influencer is a little nervous about stepping into her new network TV role, she told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Because there’s this certain stigma, if you will, that the Bachelorette should be a little bit more classier (Laughs), more maybe than I am. I’m like, ‘Do I need to clean up my mouth, or say things in a different approach?’ But then, I’m like, uh, no,” she explained. “For me, it’s like, [I have to] be who I am—[it’s a] take it or leave it kind of thing ... People can either love it or hate it, but at least I was just being me.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 3 returns to Hulu on November 13. Paul’s season of The Bachelorette is set to premiere on March 22, 2026, on ABC.
Catherine Caruso joined the Biography.com staff in August 2024, having previously worked as a freelance journalist for several years. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she studied English literature. When she’s not working on a new story, you can find her reading, hitting the gym, or watching too much TV.
