It is hard to remember a time when Taylor Frankie Paul wasn’t the center of a digital hurricane. If you’ve spent any time on TikTok over the last few years, you’ve likely seen her—usually holding a giant Diet Dr. Pepper, looking impeccably put-together, and casually dropping a bombshell that would make a soap opera writer retire.
But things look different now. As we move through early 2026, the woman who basically invented the "MomTok" aesthetic has traded the swinging scandals and "soft-launching" her drama for something even more unexpected: a starring role as the first-ever Bachelorette lead from outside the franchise.
Honestly, the pivot is kind of genius.
The Soft-Swinging Origin Story
You can't talk about Taylor Frankie Paul TikTok without acknowledging the 2022 livestream that broke the internet. At the time, Taylor was the queen of a tight-knit group of Mormon influencers in Utah. They danced in kitchens. They wore matching athleisure. They looked perfect. Then, in a somber, makeup-free video, Taylor admitted her marriage to Tate Paul was ending because of a "soft-swinging" arrangement gone wrong.
Basically, the group had a rule: you could play with other couples, but you couldn't go "all the way" without your spouse present. Taylor broke that rule with a friend’s husband—Brayden Rowley. The fallout was nuclear. The "MomTok" group splintered, marriages dissolved, and Taylor became the internet's favorite villain and victim all at once.
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Rock Bottom and The Hulu Effect
For a while there, it looked like Taylor’s career was a total goner. In February 2023, she was arrested for domestic violence following a drunken altercation with her then-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. The bodycam footage, which eventually aired on the Hulu hit The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, showed a side of Taylor that was raw and deeply unsettling. She later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, with other charges dismissed in a plea deal.
That arrest, she later said on the Viall Files podcast, actually saved her life. It forced her to get sober and start intense therapy.
Why People Are Still Obsessed
- The Relatability Factor: Despite the extreme drama, Taylor’s struggles with postpartum depression and co-parenting feel real to her 5.8 million followers.
- The "Sister Wife" Aesthetic: People are fascinated by the intersection of the LDS faith and modern influencer culture.
- The Rebound: Seeing someone hit "rock bottom" on camera and then claw their way back is a narrative as old as time, and Taylor plays it perfectly.
The Dakota Mortensen Era Ends
By late 2024, the "on-again, off-again" cycle with Dakota finally stayed "off." After welcoming their son, Ever True, in March 2024, the couple struggled with trust issues and reports of Dakota's infidelity. By the time The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 3 wrapped up in late 2025, Taylor was officially single and moving into a new home for a "fresh start."
She didn't even give Dakota a heads-up before the big news broke: she was going to be ABC's newest Bachelorette.
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The Bachelorette 2026: A New Chapter
When the announcement hit during her 2025 appearance on Call Her Daddy, the collective jaw of the Bachelor Nation dropped. Taylor is 31, a mother of three (Indy, Ocean, and Ever), and has two "baby daddies." She isn't the typical cookie-cutter contestant.
"I'm in Utah, and I'm going nowhere," she told Alex Cooper. "So you will be moving to me."
The season, which premieres March 22, 2026, is already being called the most controversial in the show's history. Taylor has been open about the fact that she’s looking for someone "hardworking and motivated" who can handle her chaotic lifestyle. She’s also stated she's open to dating anyone, regardless of religion, though she remains culturally Mormon herself.
What This Means for MomTok
While Taylor is busy handing out roses, her presence still looms large over The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Season 4 is currently in production, and Taylor is reportedly pulling double-duty, filming for both ABC and Hulu.
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The drama isn't just about her, though. The group has shifted. Former bestie Miranda McWhorter rejoined the cast in Season 2 to confront the swinging scandal head-on, and the dynamic between the "OGs" like Whitney Leavitt and the new trio (Taylor, Demi, and Jessi) remains as tense as ever.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re trying to keep up with the Taylor Frankie Paul saga without getting lost in the TikTok algorithm, here is the best way to stay informed:
- Watch the Hulu Backlog: Catch up on the first three seasons of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives to understand the context of her domestic legal issues and her journey to sobriety.
- Follow the Podcasts: Taylor tends to drop her most honest revelations on Call Her Daddy and The Viall Files rather than her own TikTok feed.
- Set a Calendar Alert: Mark March 22, 2026, for the Bachelorette premiere. This isn't just another reality season; it’s a massive experiment in whether a "controversial" influencer can successfully pivot to mainstream TV lead.
Taylor Frankie Paul is no longer just a "TikTok mom." She is a case study in modern fame—built on scandal, sustained by transparency, and currently being rebuilt through the lens of a classic TV romance.