Taylor Frankie Paul is continuing to speak out after her alleged domestic altercation with ex Dakota Mortensen.
“Honestly it’s been a heavy time to see the headlines, especially during this time of The Bachelorette being released,” Taylor, 31, said on the Wednesday, March 18, episode of Good Morning America. “It’s supposed to be a really exciting time. I’m a person that will always speak my truth, that’s what I’m known for, and so when the time is right, I will be. But right now just trying to be in the present moment and focus on this. My kids do come first … it’s been stressful to be honest.”
According to GMA, Dakota was reached for comment but did not respond.
When asked about season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives pausing filming following the alleged dispute, Taylor said, “I don’t call the shots with production … as far as I know it was [paused], but I don’t know for how long.”
As for her future on the Hulu show, Taylor admitted “it’s hard to see” beyond what’s happening in her life right now.
“When your life is broadcasted out there in these headlines, it’s like the end of the world. That’s what it feels like, I’m not going to lie,” she continued. “But I will say, I’ve been here before and I got through it and shared my story … so I’m hoping that I can do that again.”
News broke on Monday, March 16, that Taylor and Dakota — who share son Ever, 23 months — were involved in a February incident that led to a pause in production on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 5. A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department later confirmed to Us Weekly that there was an open “domestic assault investigation” concerning the pair, with allegations made against “both” individuals. (Taylor also shares daughter Ocean, 8, and son Indy, 5, with ex-husband Tate Paul.)
Taylor broke her silence on the alleged altercation while speaking exclusively to Us during a New York City press event on Tuesday, March 17, claiming there is “more context” to the situation that is being revealed.
“It’s been hard. And it sucks to be in this position,” Taylor shared, noting that she was “standing [her] ground” on who she is as a mom. “I believe that I am a good mother and I have always treated my kids very well. So the headlines that are out right now are very hard to see because that’s not the truth of it. I have always treated my children with respect and I’ve never touched them. So it’s been really hard.”
Taylor noted the “unfortunate” timing of the incident, as she is gearing up to lead season 22 of The Bachelorette, which premieres next week. “It’s another premiere that’s been taken away from me,” she added. “I’ve never enjoyed a premiere for any one of my shows. So it’s just been very sad.”
While Variety reported earlier this week that The Bachelorette’s airing schedule won’t be affected by the ongoing investigation, SLOMW continues to be on hold. A source exclusively told Us that Taylor’s castmates are currently “terrified” to film with her due to seeing her as a “major liability.”
“Now, many of them feel they’ve moved past the point of dealing with this kind of behavior and simply don’t want to be put in that position again,” the insider explained.
As for her love life on The Bachelorette, Taylor shared during her March cover story with Us that she had made a conscious “choice” to go on the ABC dating show in order to move on from her tumultuous dynamic with Dakota.
“We were just not progressing,” she told Us. “We like each other sometimes, and then we fight. 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.”
She continued, “So I decided to leave for two months and try. I reassured [the contestants] that was why I was here.”
Taylor and Dakota’s tenuous relationship goes back beyond the most recent incident. The TikTok star was arrested in February 2024 after a separation altercation between the twosome. She was later charged with aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury and criminal mischief after the incident. She pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. All other charges were dismissed.
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