Taylor Frankie Paul Breaks Silence on Domestic Assault Allegation

Taylor Frankie Paul is speaking out on a “heavy” time.

The star of The Bachelorette finally spoke out about a reported disagreement with her former partner, Dakota Mortensen, and how it led to a temporary halt in production of her Hulu series, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

It genuinely breaks my heart watching this unfold, especially now. As a longtime fan, it’s just tough timing, and it feels like a really big deal. Honestly, I’ve noticed Paul never truly seems to enjoy the premieres, and this one is no different. He’s been so open about how difficult it is, and he admitted it took everything he had just to show up and do the interviews. It’s just really sad to see him going through this.

Things are really tough right now, and it’s disappointing,” she explained. “I’m definitely having a hard time, but I also don’t want to miss out on these chances or the exciting things we’ve been building towards. If I don’t participate, I’d be letting those opportunities slip away.

Paul explained that she believed attending the press event was the right decision, despite finding it difficult.

TopMob News has learned from two sources that filming for season five of Mormon Wives was temporarily stopped in February after a reported argument between the couple, who have a 23-month-old son named Ever. A source with knowledge of the production says filming is paused for approximately two to three weeks.

According to a source, Dakota’s main focus is protecting his daughter, Ever. He also hopes to have a positive co-parenting relationship with Taylor.

According to a source familiar with the situation, Paul’s main concern is shielding his son, Ever, from negative press about his father and ensuring Ever maintains a positive view of him. The source also stated that Taylor is taking responsibility for her actions.

A representative from the Draper City Police Department told People magazine they are investigating a reported domestic assault involving the couple. According to police, both individuals have accused the other of assault. Officers spoke with both people on February 24th and 25th to gather more information about what happened.

TopMob News has contacted representatives for Mortensen and Paul regarding the accusations, but they haven’t yet responded with a statement.

Despite their split, they stayed in contact, and he eventually apologized for his relationship with Shinia Powell. This apology happened during an episode of SLOMW in season four, after she had begun filming The Bachelorette in fall 2025.

Mortensen apologized to her over FaceTime, saying he was truly sorry for all his actions and the trouble they caused. He specifically apologized for his involvement with Shinia, admitting it was a mistake. He realized he should have chosen someone else and acknowledged that picking someone he knew would cause issues was a bad decision.

Paul recounted that she felt the apology was insincere, just empty promises like she’d experienced before.

During the FaceTime call, Mortensen admitted they’d both caused each other pain, but ultimately believed they still cared for one another.

They both acknowledged their relationship was unhealthy. Paul believed her time filming The Bachelorette—premiering March 22nd on ABC—would ultimately be positive for them, no matter the outcome. He felt it would be a beneficial pause and potential end to their pattern, allowing her to focus on healing.

Mortensen let her know he was still interested in a relationship, saying he was genuinely happy for her and wanted her to find someone she loved. He playfully added, “Just remember me, okay? Keep me in mind.”

Paul and Mortensen have been in an intermittent relationship since 2022. She announced their split in May 2025, posting on TikTok that she and Dakota were no longer together and wished him well.

It was shocking to watch unfold on season two of SLOMW. She bravely shared that right after Ever was born, when Dakota and she were so happy as a new family and she was even thinking about getting engaged, she discovered he hadn’t been truthful with her the whole time. It was especially tough because he’d previously denied any rumors of infidelity – he even made a TikTok in September 2024 saying he ‘never cheated,’ which made this reveal even more painful to witness.

Despite their issues, they stayed in contact. He eventually apologized for his relationship with Shinia Powell, which happened during a season four episode of SLOMW after she’d gone to film The Bachelorette in the fall of 2025.

Mortensen apologized to her over FaceTime, saying he was truly sorry for all his actions and the trouble they caused. He specifically apologized for his involvement with Shinia, admitting it was a mistake. He realized he should have chosen someone else and that his choice of Shinia – someone he knew would create difficulties – was a poor decision and caused a lot of harm.

Paul recounted that she felt the apology was insincere, simply empty words as she’d come to expect.

During their FaceTime call, Mortensen admitted they’d both caused each other pain, but ultimately believed they still cared for one another.

They both acknowledged their relationship was unhealthy. Paul believed that her time filming The Bachelorette—which starts March 22nd on ABC—would ultimately be positive for them, even if they didn’t end up together. He felt it would give them both the space and opportunity to heal and break free from their repeating patterns.

Mortensen let her know he was still interested in a relationship, saying he was glad she was happy and wished her well if she found someone else. He playfully asked her to ‘save a rose for him,’ meaning he hoped she hadn’t completely ruled him out.

To catch up on more from the SLOMW cast, read on.