The cast of ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ raised Taylor Frankie Paul’s concerns during a meeting with ABC executives

The cast of Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” told ABC executives in a meeting earlier this month that they were worried about continuing the show if “MomTok” creator Taylor Frankie Paul remained involved, according to audio obtained by NBC News.

The nearly 30-minute Zoom meeting came on March 7, following an incident involving Paul and his soon-to-be-returning partner, Dakota Mortensen. A spokeswoman for the Draper, Utah Police Department said earlier this week that there has been an open “domestic assault investigation” involving Paul and Mortensen since February.

During the call, the stars from “Mormon Wives” expressed concerns about the future of their careers, the nature of the show and the allegations surrounding Paul and Mortensen. They also revealed allegations of abuse involving Paul, who has three children, one of whom lives with Mortensen.

In 2023, Paul was charged with assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child, according to Salt Lake County sheriff’s records. The arrest stemmed from allegations of a separate domestic violence dispute with Mortensen in 2023, which was part of a storyline in season 1 of “Mormon Wives.” Court records show Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in August 2025, and four other charges were dismissed with prejudice.

One of the actors said that they don’t feel comfortable filming as long as Paul is being investigated.

“It’s a dangerous situation, it’s a sad situation, and we don’t know how to deal with it, because Taylor is our friend,” the actor told ABC brass in a virtual meeting.

According to a source familiar with the situation, “the purpose of the March 7 zoom was to tell ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ that we care about their safety, and they should not feel pressured to publish or film the show.”

“The production company has partnered with a veteran law firm to conduct an investigation into the conflicting allegations that Taylor and Dakota have made against each other,” the source said, “and it would not be appropriate to have discussions about an ongoing investigation.”

There were three Disney executives at the meeting in March, including Rob Mills, senior vice president of unscripted and other entertainment at Walt Disney Television, who shared the footage.

Cast members gave accounts of Paul’s alleged behavior at the meeting, according to the audio. Mills said on the phone, “I don’t know much, and I don’t want to know much.”

“This is not me putting my head in the sand, but it’s not me — you know, I don’t want to ask, because I don’t know what that does,” Mills said later.

Many actors repeatedly referred to the “distressing” and “offensive” recordings of Paul’s alleged behavior, but did not provide details of what was contained in it or play it on the phone.

A cast member called it “concerning” that no one at Disney or Hulu seemed to want to know what was in the videos.

Hulu executives traveled to Utah to film “Mormon Wives” for its fifth season, and while there they “witnessed” discussions of domestic violence, NBC News previously reported.

On Thursday, TMZ published a video that appears to have been recorded by Mortensen that shows Paul pushing and kicking Mortensen as he repeatedly asks him to stop, saying, “let me go.”

The recording, which did not capture the footage that led to the collaboration, reportedly shows the incident in which Paul was arrested in 2023, according to TMZ.

Paul is also seen throwing three barstools at Mortensen. After the chair was thrown, his daughter, who was nearby on the couch during the fight, was heard crying.

“This is called physical abuse,” Mortensen said in the video. When Paul starts throwing chairs at Mortensen, he is heard saying, “Your daughter is here.”

The video is cited in Paul’s 2023 lawsuit, which notes that Mortensen had “red and swollen eyes, a swollen elbow, bruises on his fingers, and scars on his neck” from the incident. The charges also reveal that in this video, Paul’s daughter was hit on the head while lying on the sofa.

NBC News has not independently verified the TMZ video and has not yet viewed the full original video.

A spokesperson for Paul told NBC News on Thursday, after TMZ released the video, that the recording was “the latest episode of [Mortensen’s] a relentless, desperate, attention-seeking, and hurtful campaign to hurt Taylor without regard for the consequences to their child.”

At the meeting, one of the actors asked Mills “do you know you hurt a child?” He replied, “I don’t think it’s right for us to go into it.”

At the meeting, Mills emphasized that the company “will never hide anything wrong for the sake of business.”

He encouraged the actors to talk about their concerns in the show, but refused to promise that what they say will not be well edited.

The actors also expressed concern that Paul earned more than them, which Mills denied.

Ultimately, the cast agreed to pause filming on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” pending legal action, according to the audio recording.

Paul was set to star as the lead on ABC’s “The Bachelorette” this season, but the network pulled the plug on Thursday.

“Due to the newly released video that surfaced today, we have made the decision not to move forward with a new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time, and to focus on supporting the family,” Disney said in a statement about the decision.

There are no public charges against Mortensen yet.

After news of the retraction, Paul’s spokesperson said he was “recognizing the power to confront the accuser and is taking steps to ensure that he and his children are protected from any further harm.”

“There are too many women who suffer in silence as they survive their aggressive, jealous lovers who do not want them to continue with their lives,” said the spokesperson. “Taylor has remained silent for fear of further abuse, retaliation, and public shaming. She is currently exploring all her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.”

Mills did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.

Disney representatives declined to provide additional statements on the matter.

Many authorities have been reviewing these allegations.

The West Jordan Police Department in Utah confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday that the department had received a domestic violence call involving Paul, but declined to provide details about the allegations or any charges. They also did not know the exact date or time of the reported incident.

The spokesperson of the police department said that the detectives are busy to find out the facts of this case.

The Draper Police Department in Utah told People earlier this week that there is a “domestic assault investigation” open regarding Paul and Mortensen and that “allegations have been made on both sides.” A police spokesperson said, “Contact the parties involved [Feb] 24 and 25.”

Contacted by NBC News on Monday, the police department declined to confirm reports of a domestic dispute, saying its practice is “not to release information related to an ongoing investigation.”

On Thursday, Mortensen, through his lawyer, filed a motion to protect Paul. The filing was sent back for correction and an amended petition, Salt Lake County Circuit Court records show.

During the meeting, Mills suggested “staying close” to the cast as research is done to further discuss the future of “Mormon Wives.”

“I want this to continue, and I want everyone to continue to be really successful, in this game and beyond,” Mills told those on the phone, “But I think, just navigating this thing and taking care of each other is the most important thing right now.”