Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Layla Taylor didn’t mince words about her thoughts on Jessi Ngatikaura‘s affair — specifically her choosing “yucky” Marciano Brunette.
“I do not know [how he got involved with Jessi] because I think that man is yucky,” Layla, 24, quipped exclusively to Us Weekly. “There’s a lot of men we could have chosen for her — there’s just a lot of options out there.”
Layla noted that Jessi, 33, was in a tough place in her life.
“Jessi always told us it’s not [about] who it was. She was in the wrong place and wrong time. Honestly, it could have been anybody. I think that she was just in a really emotional state,” she continued. “I’ll let her speak on her story when her time comes. But I think that it could have been anybody, at that moment she just needed that validation. I wish it was someone more attractive and less gross but we can’t win them all — and maybe someone that doesn’t have to take Viagra or Cialis or whatever he took.”
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Season 2 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which premiered earlier this year, kicked off the infidelity rumors after Demi Engemann was accused of getting too close to Marciano while filming Vanderpump Villa despite being married to Bret Engemann. Demi denied being unfaithful and Marciano ultimately made separate claims about his relationship with Jessi.
“I wouldn’t say I was in love with him. It only lasted about two weeks so it was quick. But I will say I confided in him a lot,” Jessi exclusively told Us ahead of the season 3 premiere, which started streaming on Thursday, November 13. “The dynamic with Jordan [Ngatikaura] that I had had in my marriage, I hadn’t really talked to anyone about it. My family and friends had been aware because they’d seen things but I tried to be like, ‘Everything’s fine.’”
Jessi recalled sharing her marriage struggles with Marciano, including how she says Jordan “treated” her.
“I did feel a connection to him in that sense because he was there for me and he made me feel special,” she said. “Jordan would put me down a lot. Marciano told me how pretty and cool and fun I was. I felt like there was a connection there because he was giving me something I was lacking. But I wouldn’t say I was in love with him.”
After a two-week long emotional affair, Jessi came clean to Jordan about Marciano.
“Jordan found out when he went through my phone and put an end to it. But it was a blessing in disguise because it needed to end,” she told Us. “I did not want to carry this on for months or years. I didn’t know how to get out of it.”
Layla believed Jessi’s version of events, telling Us, “I don’t think anything more happened than a kiss. At this point she’s already facing the repercussions of cheating so why would she lie about another detail? She would just tell the full truth at that point.”
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Once Jessi came clean about her separation from Jordan, Layla recalled seeing the signs.
“I feel like Jordan has always said things very abruptly. But Jessi always dismissed it. We’ve always brushed it off but now that we know the full context of what was happening in their marriage, I’m like, ‘Oh, it wasn’t just comments. This is emotional abuse,’” Layla added. “It’s a really hard situation because seeing one of your friends get treated poorly is heartbreaking. I love Jessi and I think Jessi deserves the absolute world. When she loves people, she loves really hard. That’s also why it’s hard for her in her marriage right now. I just want Jessi to be happy.”
In addition to supporting Jessi, Layla was glad she was able to speak her mind more in season 3.
“I just wanted to be more vocal in season 3. I feel like season 1 and season 2, the audience could definitely see that there’s times that I couldn’t speak up when I was in certain situations. I was definitely a lot more reserved,” she recalled. “My goal going into season 3 was to say what’s on my mind, stand up for myself more and just be more authentic to who I am as a person. I feel like I definitely portrayed that really well this season, which I’m proud of myself for.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is currently streaming on Hulu.
