Jessi Draper has clearly changed her mind when it comes to Taylor Frankie Paul ... because she bashed her costar in a voice memo to Dakota Mortensen just two months ago -- but now she's providing a full-throated defense of Taylor instead.
Here's the deal ... we've obtained the voice memo Jessi sent to Dakota on March 5 ... in the wake of production pausing on 'SLOMW' over a new bout of domestic violence allegations involving Taylor and Dakota.
In the message, Jessi tells Dakota the cast is aligned in holding back on any public support for Taylor ... she says they know the "truth" about Taylor ... and she claims production and management on 'SLOMW' is gaslighting the cast by painting Taylor as a victim and Dakota as a liar.
6:47 PM PT -- Taylor’s attorney Eric M. Swinyard tells TMZ ... "Today’s hearing was a significant step forward as the Court entered protective orders requiring that Taylor’s ex-partner stays far away from her.
He continues ... "Taylor was incredibly candid with the Court that she is not perfect and owned her faults, which is in direct contrast to how the other party presented their argument, despite evidence and input from law enforcement that showed otherwise.
He concludes ... "Taylor feels solidarity with the many survivors who have endured similar hardships behind closed doors and shared only part of their stories, and she remains grateful for the outpouring of support she continues to receive. She looks forward to continuing to cooperate with the Court to make progress in the custody case."
Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen finally came face-to-face as they fight for custody over their 2-year-old son -- and it got messy as their legal teams went back and forth for nearly two hours.
The 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star and her ex had each filed protective orders following domestic violence allegations from both sides ... and were in Utah court battling it out for full custody of their kid, Ever.
The judge ruled to extend both of those protective orders for three years, but ultimately, no custody decision was made by the court -- the two parties were told to continue to work toward mediation.
They will reconvene on June 1 and in the meantime, will receive a recommendation in writing from the judge on parent time.
According to online court records, it appears Taylor recently filed declarations from three people -- including Jessi and her sister, Aspen May -- in the restraining order case filed by Dakota. The contents of the declarations are unavailable.
Taylor also filed an exhibit titled "kicking admission" and evidence labeled "abusive texts.”
On Monday, a judge denied Taylor's request to seal Thursday's upcoming protective order hearing and keep the media out ... making it clear her case will be treated like any other case -- despite the massive public attention surrounding the former couple.
During Monday's status conference, Taylor's attorney, Eric Swinyard, argued the hearing set for Thursday will be far more substantive than previous proceedings and will dive into serious allegations made by both sides.
"The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" is set to pick cameras back up following an unexpected pause involving Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen, TMZ has learned.
Production sources tell TMZ ... the Hulu series is going back into production soon, after being put on pause mid March of this year -- following a heated blow up between TFP and Mortensen during filming of season 5.
Our sources were not clear on whether TFP or Mortensen will be a part of filming with the rest of the cast when cameras go back up.
We broke the story ... cameras had gone down suddenly due to a recent alleged domestic violence incident. We then learned Mortensen went to cops in West Jordan, Utah with a third allegation of domestic violence against Taylor -- the alleged incident is said to have taken place in early to mid-2024.
Taylor Frankie Pauljust announced she’s been living with PTSD ... for years.
"The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star took to her Instagram stories Sunday with a message “for all those that assumed diagnoses” … declaring she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder two years ago.
Taylor writes that she was diagnosed “by more than one therapist” … and muses that it might even be considered Complex PTSD.
Dakota Mortensen is speaking out after his ex-girlfriend, Taylor Frankie Paul, escaped prosecution in their domestic violence cases, saying his sole focus is on the well-being of their young son while also taking some accountability.
Dakota posted an essay on Instagram early Monday morning after prosecutors in Utah announced last week Taylor would not face criminal charges following several of the former couple's domestic violence incidents from February of this year. Prosecutors indicated it would be tough to prove the cases beyond a reasonable doubt.
In his IG post, Dakota said he's recently taken a step back from all the drama -- while trying to create a stable environment for the 2-year-old son he shares with Taylor. Taylor temporarily lost custody of their son after Dakota filed a temporary protective order against her.
Dakota also wrote that he's not perfect and takes accountability for what happened between him and Taylor, apologizing for his role in the whole ordeal.
As you know, Taylor was the star of the reality show, "The Secret Lives of Mormon Lives." She was also set to star in the since-scrapped latest season of "The Bachelorette" ... until the show got canceled after TMZ published video from Taylor and Dakota's 2023 domestic incident, in which Taylor was criminally charged.
Troubling 911 audio and a follow-up complaint are shedding light on a chaotic and emotional situation involving "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" star Taylor Frankie Paul and her on-again, off-again partner Dakota Mortensen.
In 911 audio obtained by TMZ, you can hear a tense exchange unfolding in real time during a call placed on February 22 of this year ... with a child wailing and crying in the background.
At one point, Dakota is heard saying, “I told you,” while Taylor can be heard speaking in the background ... though much of what she says is unclear, aside from a phrase ending in “to me" as the dispatcher is actively trying to assess the situation while Taylor repeatedly pleads -- saying “please” several times.
Moments later, Dakota gets on the line and explains he’s calling because his son “isn’t doing good” and he wants advice on what to do. He tells the dispatcher the child had thrown up but appears to be okay now, adding that they plan to take him in themselves. When the dispatcher offers to send help, Dakota declines and the call ends shortly afterward.
Taylor Frankie Paul was so sure that Dakota Mortensen was lying when he called police on her back in February ... she didn't even wait to hear the accusations before she called BS.
In audio from Draper Police, obtained by TMZ ... TFP can be heard telling the officer she wants them to talk to her lawyer about whatever Dakota told them ... and she adds whatever he claimed, it was "not accurate."
You can hear for yourself ... Taylor is super cagey with the police after her ex accused her of assault ... and said immediately that she wanted them to talk to her attorney.
Taylor Frankie Paul had a major legal victory yesterday that just might result in "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" production resuming ... and the reality TV star wants back on the popular Hulu series.
TMZ broke the news ... TFP will NOT be prosecuted for her alleged involvement in a couple of domestic violence incidents in Utah involving her ex, Dakota Mortensen. This is a big deal since it was those accusations -- and footage from a prior incident we reported -- which torpedoed her two shows, "The Bachelorette" being the other.
An insider with direct knowledge tells TMZ … yesterday was a major development ... and is a big step in 'SLOMW' maybe resuming production. But there are still some matters that need to be attended to -- such as the findings of the third-party investigation. It’s unclear at the moment where that process is at.
Taylor Frankie Paul will NOT be prosecuted for her alleged involvement in a couple domestic violence incidents in Utah involving her ex, Dakota Mortensen.
Prosecutors in Utah announced Tuesday they were declining to file criminal charges against the 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star.
Taylor was the subject of two separate investigations by two different police departments ... but the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office says there was not enough evidence to support filing criminal charges.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s family is apparently stepping up for her in court amid her restraining order battle with her ex, Dakota Mortensen ... TMZ has learned.
According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Taylor’s sister Aspen May submitted a declaration as part of the exes' ongoing custody and TRO fights. The court docket indicates Aspen's declaration is related to the judge's requirement that a supervisor be present during Taylor’s parenting time.
Earlier this week, the judge presiding over Dakota's TRO ruled he'll continue to have custody of their son Ever, but Taylor will have 8 hours of supervised parenting time every week.
Dakota Mortensen is not shying away from bringing up baby mama Taylor Frankie Paul amid their ongoing dispute ... 'cause he's yapping all about how she got with another guy while they were still seeing each other, during his appearance on "Unwell Winter Games."
The 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star had quite a bit to say about his ex when chatting with 'UWG' costar Gleb Savchenko, claiming he never has moved on from Taylor and was "just waiting for her" -- hoping one day he'd maybe have a chance with her.
In the clip -- filmed before the alleged February incident Dakota later reported -- Dakota straight up says to Gleb, "she lied to me, then had sex with me, then after tells me" ... to which the "Dancing with the Stars" pro responds with "Well, the sex was better with you" -- hyping him up, saying "she came back for good D."
Whitney Leavitt’s killing it on Broadway right now ... but her reality TV future? Not so clear.
"The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" star admitted on 'GMA' Wednesday she’s still figuring things out as the Hulu show sits in limbo amid the ongoing Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen domestic violence drama.
Speaking alongside Mark Ballas, Whitney said part of her is tempted to fully pivot from the show, especially with Broadway being her true passion ... and she even threw a little shade, joking MomTok has way more drama than the stage ever could.
Taylor Frankie Paul was granted a temporary protective order against her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, amid their bitter court battle, TMZ has learned.
According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, a Utah judge ordered Dakota Tuesday to stay 100 yards away from Taylor until a hearing later this month, when the court will determine if either party will be awarded a permanent restraining order against the other.
As TMZ first reported, Dakota filed for a temporary protective order in March. He claimed she attacked him in February 2026 and listed multiple alleged incidents from their past. The court granted Dakota’s petition and awarded him temporary custody of their son, Ever.
