The cast of ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ responds to ‘wild’ backlash over the show’s trailer and title

CNN
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What can you say about a show that features TikTok influencers, Mormon mothers, a sex scandal, and Ben Affleck’s cousin? Lots.

Buckle up for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, premiering Friday on Hulu. The series follows current and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) who become embroiled in dramas involving drinking, out-of-wedlock pregnancies, male strip shows and partner swapping.

It all starts with influencer Taylor Frankie Paul, who founded “MomTok” by bringing together a group of Mormon mothers on TikTok. Many of the members have millions of followers and share insights into their lives for lucrative sponsorships.

Paul caused a scandal in 2022 when she announced her divorce after violating the terms of her open marriage. She also revealed that she and her now ex-husband had participated in “soft swinging” with other couples in their Utah community, which involved swapping sexual partners in their social circle.

The plot of the series mainly revolves around the aftermath of Paul’s revelation, as well as her subsequent pregnancy with her boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, with whom she began a relationship during her marriage.

“I don’t regret where I am now,” Paul told CNN about her relationship decisions. “I’m happy to be where I am. But do I wish I had done things differently? Absolutely.”

“I would never have disclosed my relationship and my marriage. I feel like it was a disaster waiting to happen,” she added. “I think announcing it to the world, I wish that didn’t have to happen either, but it also got us to where we are today.”

The season centers on a feud between Paul and cast member Whitney Leavitt, who appears to be gunning for Paul’s MomTok throne, while the women work to mend their friendships and secure their continued work as influencers.

“I never really felt any competition with Taylor,” Leavitt told CNN. “I think it was more that I missed getting together with all the girls and creating content together. So I just started planning content days and then it turned into something that it wasn’t anymore.”

The women’s past and present affiliation with the LDS Church has sparked both controversy and interest. Although the church has not directly commented on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” the organization seemed to allude to it in a message on its website the same day a trailer for the show premiered last month.

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, like other prominent global faith communities, is often the focus of attention in the entertainment industry,” the statement said. “Some portrayals are fair and accurate, but others resort to stereotypes or gross misrepresentations that are in poor taste and have real consequences for people of faith. While this is nothing new, some recent productions depict lifestyles and practices that are obviously inconsistent with Church teachings.”

Cast member Jennifer Affleck, a distant cousin of actor and director Ben Affleck, told CNN she took the online criticism of her performance in stride.

“It’s probably good that we got a little headwind [early] just so we can prepare for when the real thing comes out,” Affleck said.

“There are eight episodes where people can have even more criticism,” added her colleague Mikayla Matthews. “I think we’ll have to go through that with each episode.”

Cast member Jessi Ngatikaura told CNN she understood the mixed reactions to the LDS Church’s conservative teachings, but found the uproar before the series aired “wild.”

“We knew the title would be controversial, but I really hope that once people see it, they give it a second chance and realize that it’s so much more than a two-minute trailer and a name,” she said. “I’m super proud of what we’ve done… and I think once they see it, they’ll realize it’s a super empowering show about women and our struggles.”

The eight episodes of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” are now streaming on Hulu.