Los Angeles, May 7, 2026, 15:03 PDT
Mikayla Matthews fired back at criticism from fans accusing her of not backing Taylor Frankie Paul and Jessi Draper, injecting new tension into Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives—though this time, the drama spilled out in comment threads. On May 6 and again May 7, Matthews hit reply after a fan account questioned the level of support among the MomTok group, the Utah mother-influencer circle at the heart of the show.
Timing is key here. Production on Season 5 of the Hulu series just resumed after a pause connected to domestic violence probes involving Paul and her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. Now, which cast members are standing by whom has spilled into public view and become part of the show’s narrative.
The Hulu situation isn’t the end of it. ABC’s The Bachelorette—with Paul’s season already shot—has been in limbo since March when it was yanked, and as of Thursday, Us Weekly says Paul is “hopeful” the finished episodes will see the light of day. Us Weekly
Matthews jumped into the conversation after a fan account posted claims that MomTok members had stopped publicly backing Paul and Draper, first dropping an “Interesting…” in the comments, according to People. When someone pushed back, asking why she chimed in weeks after the fact, Matthews’ reply was blunt: “because I’m fed up.” People
Us Weekly reported that Matthews answered a critic who labeled her “very rude,” firing back that there’s a “biased double standard” and insisting she won’t alter her perspective “just to save face online.” She told the commenter to focus on their own marriage and healing. Matthews has opened up publicly about chronic illness and marital issues with Jace Terry. Draper, for her part, is in the middle of a divorce from Jordan Ngatikaura. Us Weekly
Hulu bills the season as a look at a MomTok circle grappling with the fallout from rising fame, “unraveling marriages,” and fraying personal ties. Much of that is now spilling out for everyone to see, as followers parse every like, comment, or lack thereof as a statement. Hulu Press
On May 6, Paul, 31, turned to Instagram with an AI-generated image, citing Mental Health Awareness Month and saying some things have to be “lived through to understand.” According to People, Draper chimed in with a supportive comment on the post. People
The legal picture is still grim. A Utah court commissioner issued protective orders for both Paul and Mortensen on April 30, keeping them at least 100 feet apart and calling their relationship “very toxic,” according to the Associated Press. At the heart of the court battle: the protective orders, plus arrangements for parenting time with their 2-year-old son, Ever. AP News
Disney isn’t saying much about what comes next. According to Entertainment Weekly, Rob Mills, who heads up reality TV for the company, called the status of Paul’s Bachelorette season “still day-to-day.” Mills also said, “we want to make sure she’s OK.” Ew
The cast of Mormon Wives is in flux again. Whitney Leavitt said she’s exiting after Season 5, and Hulu has confirmed an Orange County spinoff—a sign the franchise is expanding, even as it juggles more changes behind the scenes.
The way ahead remains anything but straightforward. Court recommendations, calls from the network, or even whether the cast agrees to shoot—any of these could tilt how the season pans out. Another blowup in public could throw production, already on shaky ground, into deeper chaos. At this stage, Matthews’ remarks make it clear: the core dispute isn’t just playing out in Hulu’s upcoming episodes.
