Influencer and reality TV star Taylor Frankie Paul’s turn as The Bachelorette has prematurely come to an end. Shortly after TMZ published a video of a 2023 domestic incident involving Paul, 31, and her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen on March 19, ABC canceled her upcoming season of The Bachelorette, which was set to air in just a matter of days.
This comes not long after Mortensen made fresh allegations of domestic violence against Paul, stemming from an alleged altercation in February, which Utah police are currently investigating. Both Mortensen and her ex-husband Tate Paul have since filed protective orders against The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, coincidentally showing up at the courthouse at the same time, according to TMZ.
Here’s what you should know about the fathers of Taylor Frankie Paul’s children.
Who Is Dakota Mortensen?
Dakota Mortensen, 33, is a real estate agent, construction company owner, and a current cast member of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Originally from Caldwell, Idaho, Mortensen started his career as a bird farmer before appearing on the reality competition show The Island with Bear Grylls in 2015. H
He was previously married to a woman named Kenna Hopkins. They wed in August 2015 but separated just one year later, eventually finalizing their divorce in February 2017 due to “irreconcilable differences.” At the time, Mortensen was struggling with substance issues that stemmed from a high school sports injury.
He later told the Recoverycast podcast in November 2025 that he first got sober at his ex-wife caught him doing heroin. “Seeing her face, I could tell it destroyed her,” Mortensen recalled. He was sober for several years before relapsing in 2021, but he soon bounced back and has remained clean since April 2022.
It was around this time that he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah and met Taylor Frankie Paul through a mutual friend. They began dating in the summer of 2022 and made their relationship official that September. The pair went on to have a roughly three-year tumultuous relationship.
In February 2023, Paul was arrested for assault and domestic violence after a drunken argument Mortensen, turned physical. She admitted to police that she threw metal chairs and a wooden play set at Mortensen, which inadvertently hit one of her kids from her previous marriage.
When Did Dakota and Taylor Break Up?
Despite the incident, Mortensen and Paul stayed together and welcomed their son Ever, 2, in March 2024. Throughout their on-again-off-again relationship, Paul accused Mortensen of cheating and lying. Following several break ups, they officially called it quits in the fall of 2025 after Paul was announced as the next Bachelorette, though they were reportedly still intimately involved with each other.
What’s Happening with Dakota and Taylor Now?
In February 2026, Mortensen and Paul both made abuse allegations against each other, and in March, the Draper City Police Department confirmed there is an ongoing “domestic assault investigation.” After news of the investigation went public, TMZ shared a video of the incident that led to Paul’s 2023 arrest.
“As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation,” Mortensen said in a statement to People magazine. “I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.”
The next day, Mortensen reportedly filed a restraining order against Taylor and requested sole custody of their son, per TMZ.
Who Is Tate Paul?
Tate Paul is Taylor Frankie Paul’s ex-husband, with whom she shares two children. A Utah native, Tate has largely kept his life private. He and Taylor wed in November 2016 and welcomed their first child, a daughter named Indy, 8, in August 2017. Their son Ocean, 5, was born in June 2020.
Why Did Taylor and Ex-Husband Tate Divorce?
The pair divorced just two years later after Taylor revealed in a TikTok livestream in May 2022 that she and Tate had been engaging in non-monogamy and “soft-swinging.” The influencer explained she had a brief affair with one of the men in the alleged soft-swinging group, which ultimately lead to their divorce.
Tate has not been involved in the filming of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and his two children with Taylor have received minimal air time.
Where Is Tate Paul Now?
Out of the spotlight, Tate works as the manager of a software company in Utah and is now remarried to a woman named Bailey. The couple welcomed their first child together in 2023. According to People, his social media presence is sparse, though he occasionally posts remixes on SoundCloud.
Although Tate and Taylor have reportedly remained cordial in the years since their divorce, Tate reportedly filed a restraining order against her in March 2026 after new allegations of assault involving Taylor came to light.
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.
