Taylor Frankie Paul is changing the reality TV game — again. For more than two decades, The Bachelorette has sold viewers a fairy tale with one nonnegotiable: contestants must be here for the right reasons. For the franchise’s latest lead, producers picked a woman who has exactly the kind of résumé that would have once made her a very unlikely choice — which is absolutely fine with her.
Paul, 31, has more than 7 million followers across her social media platforms. Her 2022 divorce from ex-husband Tate Paul (the father of her daughter, Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5) exploded amid a viral “soft-swinging” scandal involving other couples in her close-knit Mormon community, catapulting MomTok — her community of Utah content creators — into the national spotlight. In 2023, she was arrested for assault and other charges stemming from a fight with then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. And unfinished business back home? The teaser for the upcoming fourth season of her ensemble reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, shows Paul in bed with Mortensen — the father of her youngest son, Ever, 2 — just weeks before she left for The Bachelorette.
Paul knows that viewers will question her motivation for joining the show, on which 22 single men vie for her heart. “I don’t really care,” she tells Us in her first interview about the season since production wrapped. “I didn’t have to do this… There was no other reason for me to do this other than I wanted to get outside of Utah and the toxicity that I’m in and venture off and really do something for myself.”
For the mom of three, the opportunity wasn’t about clout or followers or even getting engaged — it was about breaking her cycle with on-again, off-again boyfriend Mortensen and betting on herself. “Who gets this opportunity as a single mom to just purely focus on dating and love and yourself? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she says. “That is why I was there. And anyone that doesn’t want to believe that, that’s their own issue.”
If 2022 brought Paul into the pop culture spotlight and 2024 made her a reality star — The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was Hulu’s most-watched premiere of the year, outperforming even The Kardashians — 2026 is set to make her unavoidable. Mormon Wives is back March 12; just 10 days later, on March 22, her reign as season 22’s Bachelorette begins (ABC, 8 p.m.). It marks the first time in franchise history that the lead wasn’t handpicked from a previous season of The Bachelor— a twist that could lure new viewers and win back those who have drifted away.
And while some may tune in for the anticipated drama, they’ll stay to root for a woman who is endearingly messy and disarmingly candid, and is redefining what a Bachelorette can be. “Usually there’s structure to it,” Paul teases of her not-so-traditional season. “We had no rules. It was fun. Unexpected, on my end and their end. It was very unpredictable.” Sitting down with Us, Paul addresses the questions viewers are already asking: about her status with Mortensen, her relationship with her past and what fans can expect when she’s handing out roses.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s Family Guide: Meet Her Exes and 3 Kids
In season 3 of Mormon Wives, you and Dakota break up. In the season 4 trailer, right before you leave for The Bachelorette, you’re hooking up again. What was happening in your relationship at the time?
Honestly, I think it was just still in the same cycle that I’ve been in for a while now, and it’s been really hard to get out … It’s been so hard to remove myself from that.
The Wives trailer also suggests that you might be the first pregnant Bachelorette.
Do I look pregnant? Just look at me and make your observation there. That’s all I’ve got to say.
How did you assure the men of The Bachelorette— and yourself — that you were ready to move on from Dakota?
It was a choice. Ready, at the end of the day, is a decision. So I made the decision to leave for two months and try. I reassured them that was why I was here.
Do you think the audience will question whether you’re there for the right reasons or wonder whether you’re still hung up on Dakota?
That’s completely valid to think that and to see that. It took me making those decisions [with Dakota] to be ready for something else. A lot of these decisions aren’t the best, but I think I’m so open with it and honest, and even as many times as I backtracked, I still am open. Something I’ve [also] learned over the course of time is being OK being misunderstood.
‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Teases Taylor Frankie Paul Pregnancy Scare
At least you don’t have to worry about someone digging up your past — it’s all already out there!
It’s freeing. Even though it sucks sometimes and you don’t look the best, you feel a little bit more trapped unless you just tell on yourself.
Did the men have questions for you about soft-swinging, your arrest or any other past controversies?
I think I got asked about all of ’em during individual convos, and I was ready for it. I’ve got nothing else to hide. My arrest will always be a sensitive subject given the circumstances in that. Swinging — that’s such a scandal headline — but it’s also a very traumatic time in my life. That was one of my rock-bottom points. I lost my family, my husband. It’s so much deeper than that to me, and deep conversations were had. I think anyone that actually cares about me would definitely be asking those.
How did the men react?
Overall they were very receptive and nonjudgmental and open-minded.
You call your relationship with Dakota “toxic.” When did you realize that you deserved more?
It was hard because I’m, obviously, a part of that — it’s not like I am pointing the finger like, “He is [the toxic one.]” It takes two to tango. We were just not progressing. 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.
Were you worried about the men on the show being concerned that you were attracted to toxic relationships?
It wasn’t a worry of mine, per se, but it was more just, like, of course that’s going to be their concern going into this, especially if they knew anything about me prior. That’d be a question for me if I was on the other end, so I definitely understand why that would be a [valid] concern.
What’s one of the biggest misconceptions about you?
I am a very soft, gentle person. On Secret Lives, you get my chaotic, reactive, petty side, so there’s this persona of me. I think when people meet me, they’re usually like, “Oh my gosh, you’re a lot nicer than I thought you would be.” I’m a very chill, relaxed person if you’re hanging out with me. You’ll see a lot more of that side of me. I am a lover girl through and through. That’s why I’m here: because as much as I feel pain that I felt with love, I am still here wanting to find it. I have hope for it. That’s what I long for.
What’s the biggest challenge of being the Bachelorette as a mom of three?
My kids were able to come visit and I saw them, but being away from home for that long was very hard. I’m a homebody. That’s how I recharge. I’m not big on traveling, so that was also out of my comfort zone. But it was the best thing at the same time because when you go out of your comfort zone, you grow and you learn. But it was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be.
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Did your kids have any idea what was going on?
Yes, it was the cutest thing. I shared little notes that my daughter wrote and she was like, “I am hoping you find your person, your man, your husband.” She was very, very aware and cute. My other two are too young. I missed them a lot, and there were definitely some breaking points. But I knew I had to be present: “I came here to do this. This is temporary. Let’s keep going.”
Was your ex-husband supportive?
Yes. He and I have always been really good friends; I have a very healthy coparenting relationship.
Did your divorce affect your feelings about marriage?
Given our religion, I got married very young. That’s part of how it is in our culture, and I think [it brought] a lot of lessons. I don’t really hold that, being like, “Oh, I am against marriage now.” We outgrew [each other] and clearly dabbled into things, [but] I am not giving up on the love part. Ever since my divorce, I believe in love, whether you’re married or you’re not.
What was your end goal with The Bachelorette?
The goal was to find my person, and I didn’t really have any vision of how it had to go — an engagement, we leave together or we’re trying dating. I didn’t set any other expectations.
You’ve said that the men didn’t need to be Mormon. How did religion affect how you dated on the show?
I’m Mormon, but I’m more spiritual than I am religious. I go to church here and there. For me, at the end of the day, I want to see how you’re treating people. I don’t really care what religion you are, I don’t care about anything else. How are you treating people? What are your intentions? That’s all that matters.
You also said you didn’t have any rules — did that apply to not limiting yourself on how many men you kissed or invited into the fantasy suites?
I definitely struggle with PDA. It’s very nerve-wracking. It’s so funny because I think given what I’m known for — let’s just be honest, a sex scandal — you would think I’m a little bit more wild. I don’t want to go as far as to say [I’m a] prude, but I am very shy.
‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Cast’s Dating History Before the Show
The show features a mix of men, including some who have been married and some who have kids. What were you looking for?
I didn’t go into it with any checklist or boxes or expectations. It didn’t matter either way. If you’re a father, that’s great. We can relate on a lot without even having to speak on it, but I’m very open-minded.
Do you want more kids, whether your own or as a stepparent?
I would be open to stepkids and yes, I want more kids myself. But I want them with my person I want to be with forever.
Were you open to moving or did the men have to be prepared to move to Utah?
Utah was where I was staying, and that was something I said early on. This is where my kids are, my baby daddies, I’m not going anywhere. Everyone was on board with that from the beginning, which was nice.
Prior to going on the show, did you think it was possible to be in love with more than one person at the same time?
Yes. I think you can be in love with more than one person. I think you always love someone more, but I think you can be very confused about multiple people.
You’ve shared a lot on social media about your mental health struggles — are your recent posts related to life post-Bachelorette?
It’s more adjusting back from a very high rush of filming and then coming back home, adjusting and then having to get back into filming [Mormon Wives]. I have a lot on my plate that I agreed to do, plus being a mom of three babies. With my mental health, it’s sometimes a chemical imbalance. Nothing has to happen [to affect my mental health], and that’s the struggle of it.
Are you happy?
I’m happy in this moment, yes.
How would you describe the ending of The Bachelorette?
[I felt] lots of different emotions for lots of different reasons. It ended in a Taylor way. Some people may know what that means, and some people might not.
The Bachelorette season 22 premieres on ABC Sunday, March 22, at 8 p.m. ET and streams next day on Hulu.
