Taylor Frankie Paul, the reality star making history as “The Bachelorette” Season 22 lead, arrives with far more than scandalous headlines from her time on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” The 31-year-old influencer from Herriman, Utah brings three children from two previous relationships into the mix as she searches for lasting love on ABC’s long-running franchise—becoming the first lead in 22 seasons never to appear on a previous “Bachelor” season.
Paul has a daughter, Indy May, born August 31, 2017, and a son, Ocean, born June 18, 2020, from her marriage to ex-husband Tate Paul. Her youngest son, Ever True Mortensen, arrived March 19, 2024, a week early, with ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. Ever’s birth came after Paul experienced an ectopic pregnancy in 2022. Both Ocean and Ever arrived weighing 6 pounds 15 ounces, while Indy weighed 6 pounds 9 ounces at birth.
The reality star and her ex-husband married in 2016, but their relationship imploded amid a “soft swinging” scandal that rocked the Mormon influencer community in May 2022. Paul admitted she had an “emotional affair” during the couple’s arrangement with other couples, ultimately violating their agreement by hooking up with someone without her husband present. Despite the explosive split, the pair now maintains an amicable co-parenting relationship, attending weekly soccer games together and communicating daily.
Paul’s relationship with Dakota proved equally turbulent. The pair began dating in 2022 shortly after her split from Tate, and their complicated romance played out on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” After Ever’s birth, Paul discovered Dakota had been sleeping with other women during the early “talking” phase of their relationship, including a woman named Jenna. “Right after Ever was born, Dakota and I were living together and in bliss with our new baby, and I was even considering engagement. And then I learned that he was lying this entire time,” Paul said on an episode of “Mormon Wives.”
The couple’s on-again, off-again dynamic continued through December 2024, when they finally split for good after more than two years together. In a bombshell revelation on season 4 of the show, Paul admitted she slept with Dakota the night before leaving to film “The Bachelorette” without using protection, though she has since clarified she is not pregnant.
Balancing motherhood with her reality TV career presented significant challenges. Paul’s children visited her on set during filming at the Bachelor Mansion in Agoura Hills, California, but she found the extended absence difficult. “My kids were able to come visit and I saw them, but being away from home for that long was very hard,” Paul told Us Weekly. “I’m a homebody.”
The MomTok creator has prioritized keeping her children off “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” for privacy reasons, a decision she and Tate agreed upon. Tate and his now-wife Bailey, an esthetician, also chose not to participate in the reality series. Tate has since remarried and welcomed a daughter with Bailey.
Paul’s personal struggles extended beyond relationship drama. She was arrested in February 2023 following an explosive argument with Dakota. She was charged with one count of felony aggravated assault, two counts of felony domestic violence in the presence of a child, misdemeanor child abuse, and criminal mischief. Upon reaching a plea deal in August 2023, she entered a plea in abeyance to the aggravated assault charge, while the other charges were dismissed.
The arrests and tumultuous relationships prompted serious reflection about her role as a mother. Paul has described Indy as both “sweet” and “sassy,” noting that her daughter loves makeup, nails, dresses—anything girly. She founded MomTok in 2020, inviting other Mormon moms in Utah to create content together, participating in viral dance trends and sharing content about motherhood and religion. By 2022, the women of MomTok had become well-known influencers, with Paul boasting more than 7 million followers across social media platforms.
Paul was raised by her mother, Liann May, and stepfather, Jeremy May, after her biological father left when she was young. Her stepfather adopted her at age two, and she considers him her dad. Her biological father passed away, and Paul has spoken emotionally about meeting him only once as a child.
Looking ahead to her “Bachelorette” journey, Paul made clear that potential suitors will need to accept her complete package. She told Alex Cooper on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast—where she announced her casting in September 2025—that she was looking for a “hardworking” and “motivated” partner in their “30s, early 40s” who was willing to relocate to Utah. She also expressed openness to stepkids and wanting more children eventually, but only with the right person.
“The Bachelorette” Season 22 premieres on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, with episodes streaming the next day on Hulu. Notable contestants include Lana Del Rey’s ex-fiancé Clayton Johnson and three-time Paralympian Trenten Merrill. The show moves to Sunday nights for the first time in franchise history, a strategic shift as ABC repositioned its reality lineup. With her complex family situation and track record of dramatic relationships, the season promises to deliver unprecedented drama for Bachelor Nation.