The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Mikayla Matthews and Taylor Frankie Paul clearly disagree on the status of their friendship.
Matthews, 26, took to her Instagram Stories on Saturday, May 9, revealing in a lengthy statement that she “tried to stay as removed” as possible from Paul, 31, amid her legal drama. (Paul temporarily lost custody of son Ever, 2, after an alleged domestic violence incident with ex Dakota Mortensen. Local police declined to press charges.)
“I have felt absolutely sick to my stomach and horrible for what everyone involved must be feeling and going through,” Matthews wrote, in part, on Saturday. “However, it is not my job to enable poor or dangerous behavior from either party, especially when children are involved. That doesn’t mean I don’t love them or want the best for their individual futures. It just means I cannot sit here and pretend it’s OK that years of destructive behavior are now being discussed more than ever online and turned into a ‘pick a side’ game.”
According to Matthews, the only “correct side” to be on is a child’s, and so, she started setting “healthy” boundaries in her friendships.
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“I was there after [Taylor’s] swinging rock bottom, I was there after the [2023] arrest rock bottom,” Matthews said, also stating that she supported Paul after Mortensen’s past trysts with Jenna, Shinia and Paul’s family friend. “Without even having to be asked, I sent cookies, drinks, meals, etc, and showed up even at my own personal lowest while navigating my own trauma, betrayal and health issues.”
She continued, “Every single time, the behaviors and patterns continued and were publicly praised for being ‘messy’ and ‘relatable.’ Continuing to show up and give sympathy to someone who has mentioned time and time again that they can’t be a friend right now, while also acknowledging they are self-aware of the decisions being made and still expecting loyalty online … would not only be a disservice to my healing, but to the other people involved as well. You cannot save someone who is unwilling to participate in their own rescue.”
Matthews further claimed that “having a moral compass and boundaries” doesn’t make her a “bad or jealous” friend.
Paul, for her part, responded via the comments section of a fan’s recap of Matthews’ message.
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“She is the epitome of someone that was waiting for my downfall and not only watched it, but clearly kicking me too. I rarely, if ever, cried to her for help,” Paul, who also shares two children with her ex-husband, replied on Saturday. “[My Mormon Wives castmates] always wanted an update on my life, let’s not get that twisted. She is ‘exhausted of me’ as I tried to stay home and suffer in silence.”
Paul added, “I’m fed up, but I knew she was going through her own [health] stuff, and I didn’t want to make it worse. Clearly she can’t do the same. PS: she can find her way to the door if she doesn’t want to film with me. Next.”
In response, Matthews clarified in a follow-up Instagram comment that she never was “praying for [Paul’s] downfall” and merely tried to be a good friend.
“It’s the timing for me. This has been going on for months … Happy Mother’s Day weekend to you too @mikayla__matt,” Paul added, referring to Matthews’ four children. “Hope you said what you needed.”
Matthews and Paul are both members of the MomTom influencer group, which is the subject of Hulu’s Mormon Wives. Production on season 5 was halted in March after Paul’s alleged altercation with Mortensen. Us Weekly confirmed last month that filming resumed, though Paul has yet to appear on cameras.
