Jessi Draper defends Taylor Frankie Paul amid domestic violence claims

Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY Wed, March 25, 2026 at 2:32 PM UTC

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Amid the chaos surrounding the "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" cast, Jessi Draper is speaking out about the show's whirlwind of headlines.

In a new interview on "Call Her Daddy" booked before the drama, Draper reacted to the Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen fallout, as well as her own troubles following her ex Jordan Ngatikaura filing for divorce.

Draper recalled pausing filming during an alleged domestic violence incident involving Paul and Mortensen in February. Discussing the leaked 2023 footage of an incident between Paul and Mortensen, she told host Alex Cooper in a Wednesday, March 25, interview, that it was "really hard" to watch, but that she believed people can "move forward and come back from things like this."

"Taylor really has made a lot of changes, and that's what's so hard for me. This is my real friend, and she does have a really good heart," Draper said, getting emotional. "There's so much pain underneath the surface for Taylor."

Jessi Draper attends the Clarins Iconic Lip Perfector with a Sugar & Shine Galentine's event at Alba on Jan. 29, 2026, in West Hollywood, California.

Taylor Frankie Paul investigated for third alleged domestic incident

Law enforcement reportedly made contact with Paul and Mortensen on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25, and the pair is now the subject of a domestic violence investigation, the Draper City Police Department in Northern Utah confirmed to People magazine on March 16. Both have reportedly leveled allegations.

Then on March 19, TMZ leaked a 2023 video of an alleged altercation between Paul and Mortensen. The video starts mid-argument, as Mortensen records Paul yelling, hitting and kicking him, pulling his hair and holding him in a headlock. Paul is later seen in the video throwing metal barstools at Mortensen. After she throws one of the stools, a child, identified as Paul's daughter, is heard crying.

1 / 0See 'Mormon Wives' star Taylor Frankie Paul's life in the spotlight

Taylor Frankie Paul took the reality TV world by storm in 2024 when "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" became a cultural phenomenon. The "MomTok" influencer and most recent "Bachelorette" spoke candidly about her infamous "swinging scandal" and has faced legal troubles throughout the show. See her career in the spotlight, beginning here backstage during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026, in Hollywood, California.

TMZ reported that the video was evidence in the pair's 2023 domestic violence case.

NBC reported March 25 that another incident from 2024 is now under investigation.

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"She got caught in a really bad cycle," Draper continued. "She's made some mistakes, and so has Dakota. And I'm not saying any of it's right, but I know Taylor as a person, and it's so easy to speculate about these people on a reality show ... like we're characters, we're not real people."

Jessi Draper says she learned about her divorce from TMZ, makes escort claims

Jordan Ngatikaura and Jessi Ngatikaura of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" Season 3 attend a tastemaker event in New York City, Nov. 11, 2025.

Later in the conversation, Draper said she ended her marriage with Ngatikaura, but learned that he managed to file first after TMZ reached out for comment.

"We had made an agreement to do it together, and he blindsided me and filed because he wanted the headline," Draper said. The reality star said the couple agreed to tell their kids together before filing as well, calling Ngatikaura's move a "betrayal."

A rep for Ngatikaura could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.

Ngatikaura filed for divorce on March 19. A day later, he also reportedly filed a temporary restraining order against Draper. She said that Ngatikaura filed paperwork regarding assets without her and tried to put a gag order in place.

1 / 0Mikayla Matthews, Amy Schumer and more celebrity breakups in 2026

The spotlight doesn't guarantee a happy ending for every love story. Scroll on for the celebrity couples who split in 2026.Alexandra Daddario and Andrew Form are divorcing after more than three years of marriage, according to People, citing Daddario's representative. The "White Lotus" actress and the film producer got married in June 2022. The two share a 15-month-old son, and Daddario is a stepmother to Form's two kids, 9-year-old Rowan and 12-year-old Julian, whom he shares with his ex-wife and "Fast and Furious" star Jordana Brewster.

Draper alleges that Ngatikaura put in the divorce filings that the reason for their split is that she had an affair with fellow Hulu reality TV star Marciano. She went on to accuse Ngatikaura of attempting to cheat with sex workers, alleging that an escort sent her screenshots of a conversation with him from before "Mormon Wives" began.

She also alleges she suffered years of "controlling" behavior, including constant criticism, being spied on and demands she do Pilates every day.

The couple had a prenup; her businesses will go untouched but she expects she will have to pay alimony and child support. She is seeking 50/50 custody.

"I will tell my children about my mistakes ..." Draper said. "I don't want my daughter to ever be treated the way I've been treated. I'm going to be honest with them."

Contributing: Edward Segarra and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jessi Draper talks Taylor Frankie Paul, divorce on 'Call Her Daddy'

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