Taylor Frankie Paul has revealed that she’s stepping away from Mormonism amid The Bachelorette fallout and domestic violence investigations with her ex.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star took to her Instagram Story on Easter Sunday to share that “it’s time to detach” from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Born and raised Mormon (lds) and I’ll always have love and respect towards it. I’ll even continue to go [to church] with my family at times, with that being said, it’s time to detach myself from it,” Paul wrote. “I strongly believe in Christ, God, the bible, the divine. I believe we are loved whether we are praying in [a] church building or from a bathroom floor at home.”
She continued, “I’ve also experienced grace and love from amazing people that aren’t sure what they believe if at all and that’s okay too. Point being there is more out there to learn. And I’m writing this out as a release.”
Aside from growing up Mormon, Paul’s religion also played a role in her rise to fame. She initially gained followers on social media as a “MomTok” influencer who shared her life as a young mother within the Utah Mormon community. However, she garnered even more attention when she revealed a “soft-swinging” scandal among her friends and marriage in 2022, as it went against the religion’s strict expectations, which ultimately led to her starring role on Hulu’s hit reality show Secret Lives.
Paul was then announced as the next lead for ABC’s The Bachelorette last year. But that took a turn days before the season premiere last month when the network decided to pull Paul’s season following reports of an alleged domestic violence incident involving the show’s lead and her ex, Dakota Mortensen, with whom she shares a son.
TMZ also released a video of what led to Paul’s arrest in 2023 for another domestic violence incident involving Mortensen, which contributed to ABC’s decision. She pled guilty to aggravated assault at the time and the incident was detailed on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. (Season five of the reality show also halted filming last month due to the controversy.)
Amid the fallout, NBC News also reported at the end of March that Paul was under investigation for an alleged third domestic violence incident involving Mortensen that occurred in 2024.
A spokesperson for Paul previously said she’s “very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security” following the network’s decision.
