Mayci Neeley Says “Mormon Wives” Season 3 Gave Taylor Frankie Paul a 'Very Level-Headed Edit' Ahead of Her “Bachelorette” Debut

Zoey LyttleWed, March 18, 2026 at 4:36 PM UTC

0

Mayci Neeley; Taylor Frankie Paul.Credit: JC Olivera/Billboard via Getty; Araya Doheny/Getty -

During a recent podcast appearance, Mayci Neeley reflected on Taylor Frankie Paul's recent portrayal in season 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

The podcast was recorded prior to news breaking about domestic assault allegations involving Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen

Season 4 of the hit Hulu reality show was released on March 12, and Paul's season of The Bachelorette is set to premiere on March 22

Mayci Neeley is comparing Taylor Frankie Paul's past and most recent appearances on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

On Tuesday, March 17, Neeley and costar Mikayla Matthews appeared on the Comments by Celebs podcast, where they discussed the hit reality show's season 4, which was released on March 12, with all episodes available to stream on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

Days after the latest installment premiered, multiple sources confirmed to PEOPLE that the show halted filming for season 5 following domestic assault allegations involving Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen.

The Comments by Celebs episode description notes that it was "recorded prior to the Taylor/Dakota news" breaking this week, however, Neeley and Matthews still opened up about how they've perceived Paul's role throughout the series.

The cast of 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.'Credit: Disney/Natalie Cass

Season 4 sees Paul in the lead-up to her season on The Bachelorette, which is set to premiere on Sunday, March 22, on ABC. Though she looks ahead toward new experiences and growth, the MomTok star remained entangled in her on-and-off relationship with ex Dakota Mortensen. She also grapples with the fact that Mortensen — the father of her youngest son, Ever — was talking to other women as well.

On Tuesday, Comments by Celebs hosts Emma Diamond and Julie Kramer spoke with guests Neeley and Matthews about being "trustworthy narrators" on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The podcasters specifically mentioned how "the trustworthy narrator element" came into play with Paul's portrayal in season 4, as they felt that her character came off as a "one-eighty in the opposite direction of what we had been seeing."

— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Neeley responded to the observation by stating that she wasn't surprised by the way Paul came off in recent episodes, adding, "I do see her like that pretty often, if I'm being completely honest." Instead, Neeley nodded to what she perceived as inconsistencies in Paul's season 3 representation.

"We watched it and were like, 'Uh, that's not the Taylor we see all the time,'" said Neeley. "She had a very level-headed edit, and I'm not saying she's not level-headed. I'm just saying that, we see the other side to Taylor off-camera as well."

Following the news that the cast paused production on season 5, a spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE that there is an open "domestic assault investigation" regarding Paul and Mortensen. The spokesperson confirmed "allegations have been made in both directions" and "contact was made with involved parties on [Feb] 24th and 25th." The spokesperson declined to share more amid the ongoing investigation.

Advertisement

Paul pled guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault, which means that if she complies with the conditions of the plea, that charge will be dismissed. Meanwhile, the other charges have already been dismissed.

Despite police involvement, multiple sources have told PEOPLE that the exes continue to co-parent their 1-year-old son, Ever, with Paul having majority custody. Paul also shares two kids — Indy, 8, and Ocean, 5 — with her ex-husband, Tate Paul.

The mom of three was previously arrested for alleged domestic violence in 2023 following an argument with Mortensen. She was accused of throwing a chair at Mortensen, which allegedly hit her daughter. She was given misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child.

A source close to Paul previously denied to PEOPLE that the reality TV star was “violent” during the February incidents and said that she remains “focused” on the upcoming Bachelorette premiere. She broke her silence following the news of the investigation at a press preview of her dating show stint on March 17.

"Honestly, just like, my heart hurts to see it, to go through it, especially at this time," she told PEOPLE exclusively. "Just the timing is hard, and it's a big deal. I feel like every premiere that I've experienced, I've never enjoyed fully, so this is another one... it's extremely hard, and it took everything to get me here today.

"It's just heavy. It's a heavy time, and it's unfortunate," Paul continued. "I'm struggling for sure, but also at the same time I feel like if I don't show up, then I'm just giving these opportunities away and not enjoying what we've worked on and something super exciting that's coming. I just feel like it was the right thing to do... show up even though it's hard."

Those close to Paul are reportedly concerned for her, as a source with knowledge of the situation told PEOPLE. The insider claimed Paul calls Mortensen “all the time,” often between the hours of 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.

“We’re all worried for Taylor’s well-being,” said the source. “We want Taylor to get the help she needs.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”