Dakota Mortensen speaks out after filing restraining order against Taylor Frankie Paul
Dakota Mortensen speaks out after filing restraining order against Taylor Frankie Paul
Sarah HearonThu, March 19, 2026 at 10:13 PM UTC
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Dakota MortensenCredit: Sara Jaye/Getty
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Dakota Mortensen is breaking his silence after filing for a restraining order against Taylor Frankie Paul.
"As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation," Mortensen said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. "I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same."
TMZ previously reported that Mortensen took legal action against Paul following two alleged incidents between the exes on Feb. 23 and 24.
"[I am] genuinely concerned for my safety and the safety and well-being of my child," Mortensen, who shares 2-year-old son Ever with Paul, reportedly stated.
Paul has yet to comment on those claims. EW reached out for comment.
Earlier Thursday, news broke that ABC had opted not to air Paul's scheduled season of The Bachelorette. The decision was made after TMZ published a video of a 2023 incident between Paul and Mortensen. In that footage, Paul could be seen throwing a chair in front of her eldest child and attempting to put Mortensen into a headlock.
Taylor Frankie Paul on 'The Bachelorette'Credit: Disney/Sami Drasin
"In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family," a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson said in a statement to EW.
Not long after the news broke, Paul spoke out in a statement via a rep. "Taylor is very grateful for ABC's support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security," the statement said. "After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm."
The statement continued, "There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives. Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story."
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In a previous statement, Paul's rep also addressed the video, saying: "It's sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child. Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son's birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences."
On the evening of the incident, Paul was arrested and pleaded guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault. Body camera footage of her detainment was aired on season 1 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Paul, who agreed to a plea deal, was placed on three years' probation, which is set to end in August. The other four other charges, including domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse, and criminal mischief, were dropped.
Prior to news of The Bachelorette being scrapped, Paul addressed her status with Mortensen on Tuesday, one day after police initially confirmed there was an active investigation into the February incidents.
"I actually took action about a few weeks ago. I'm just doing third-party everything — pick-up, drop-offs, communication — so no contact right now for me," she told EW. "I think that's the best case, honestly, because clearly it's just not to a point of us getting along, so I wanted to take the best action I could."
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She added that she had hoped to keep the alleged conflict under wraps, saying, "I didn't want to bring anything to the public eye, making it a bigger deal for the sake of my son, and just everything about to come out. But that wasn't the plan for [Mortensen]."
Paul was previously married to Tate Paul, with whom she shares daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
