Before starring on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Dakota Mortensen was featured on another reality show.
Resurfaced footage from NBC’s short-lived series The Island showed Dakota, 33, joining others on a deserted island to see if a modern American man can survive for one month without the luxuries of contemporary everyday life.
“I’m from Idaho and I’m a bird farmer. I’m at that point right now where I don’t want to be a bird farmer for the rest of my life,” Dakota told the cameras in a 2015 episode, according to a clip shared via social media. “I work for my dad and this reached out to me to where I felt like, ‘Why not give it a try?’”
Dakota reflected on how different the experience would be compared to the life he was used to.
‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Then vs. Now: How Cast Looked Pre-Hulu Show
“I’ve never been out of the country and I’ve never been to a beach before, so this is my first time on a beach. So as far as just adapting, that’s all it will be for me. Once I feel like I can adapt to things, I’ll do a little better,” he noted. “I wasn’t sure how many people [were] going to come, so once I found out how many there [were], it made me a little nervous at first. This could either go really good or really bad, just because there’s so many people and so many different opinions.”
Dakota continued: “They all seem like awesome people though. Just being able to do something like this, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Nobody gets to try and do this. Nobody in [their] right mind would. … If I can make it to the very end, it’s more of a morale type of thing for me. It just lets me know that I can do things that I didn’t know I could do.”
The Island ultimately ran for a single season before NBC pulled the plug. Dakota returned to the reality TV world nearly a decade later when The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered on Hulu in September 2024 following a group of Mormon mom influencers in Utah.
Dakota was introduced as Taylor Frankie Paul‘s boyfriend after her marriage to Tate Paul ended over a “soft-swinging” scandal. Season 1 began with Taylor, 31, being arrested for domestic violence before she and Dakota expanded their family with son Ever, now 2.
The pair’s ups and downs continued to be captured on four seasons of Mormon Wives before news broke earlier this month about another alleged dispute between Taylor and Dakota. TMZ later published footage from the 2023 incident, which led to Taylor’s season of The Bachelorette to be pulled by ABC days before it was scheduled to premiere. (NBC News reported on Wednesday, March 25, that a third alleged domestic violence incident is being investigated.)
‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Cast’s Dating History Before the Show
“Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security,” a rep for Taylor said on Thursday, March 26. “After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm.”
The statement continued, “There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives. Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support and preparing to own and share her story.”
Dakota subsequently filed a temporary restraining order against Taylor and requested sole custody of Ever. He was granted both until their new court hearing in April.
In a statement to Us, Dakota emphasized the importance of keeping Ever safe. “As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation,” he said. “I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.”
If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
