Taylor Frankie Paul seemed ready to start a new chapter without Dakota Mortensen while filming The Bachelorette, according to some of her costars from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
Days before news broke that production on Mormon Wives season 5 was allegedly halted because of a domestic dispute between Taylor and Dakota, Mayci Neeley and Mikayla Matthews exclusively spoke to Us Weekly about the pair’s volatile relationship.
“While filming, we were able to see her, and you could tell while filming [The Bachelorette] that she was in a better mindset,” Mayci, 31, told Us on March 2.
Mikayla, 26, felt that Taylor, also 31, “wasn’t ready” to leave Utah — and Dakota — behind to film The Bachelorette, but she thought the forced distance might ease some of the tension between the duo.
“That was an opportunity for her to be forced to be away from the toxic cycle that she was in with Dakota, at least for a period of time, to hopefully figure out what she wants and what she needs,” Mikayla told Us. “I’m excited to watch The Bachelorette back, because I don’t know [what happened].”
In the latest season of Mormon Wives, which premiered on Hulu Thursday, March 12, Jessi Ngatikaura claimed that Taylor and Dakota, 33, slept together the night before Taylor was scheduled to leave to film The Bachelorette. Taylor ultimately missed her plane, claiming that she was feeling “sick” before catching a later flight and heading to the Bachelor Mansion.
“I think I was like, ‘This is probably the only way she’s gonna move on,’” Mayci told Us, reflecting on Taylor’s decision to do The Bachelorette. “But at the same time, I didn’t realize how not ready she was until that day we were at the airport.”
Mayci went on to note that she was hopeful whatever transpired on the ABC dating show would help Taylor put Dakota behind her once and for all.
“We’ve been dealing with this relationship for over three and a half years now,” she explained. “We’re ready for both of them to move on. … We’re good to never talk about it again.”
Taylor began dating Dakota off and on after the end of her marriage to ex-husband Tate Paul in May 2022. The couple subsequently split in 2025 following his sexting scandal. (Taylor and Tate share daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5, while Taylor and Dakota welcomed son Ever, 23 months, in March 2024.)
Earlier this week, news broke that filming for Mormon Wives season 5 was reportedly paused after an alleged domestic dispute between Taylor and Dakota.
A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department confirmed to People on Monday, March 16, that there is an open “domestic assault investigation” regarding Taylor and Dakota, noting that “allegations have been made in both directions” and “contact was made with involved parties on [February] 24th and 25th.” (Us reached out for comment.)
Taylor, for her part, previously gave Us insight into her relationship with Dakota in her recent cover story. “We like each other sometimes, and then we fight,” she explained. “It’s really hard to explain to people and unless you’ve been in that situation, it is hard to understand. If I could just snap out of it, trust me, I would. It’s just a lot harder said than done.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 is now streaming on Hulu. Season 22 of The Bachelorette is set to premiere on ABC Sunday, March 22, at 8 p.m. ET.
