Mikayla Matthews Leaves Mormon Wives Over Taylor Frankie Paul Return

Mikayla Matthews is leaving Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and has stopped filming Season 6.

She announced the decision on Instagram on Sept. 14, saying she will not continue with the reality series, according to E! News. Season 5 had already been released on Hulu before she made the announcement.

Matthews said the only reason for her departure is that she was told co-star Taylor Frankie Paul was returning to filming, Deadline reported. She said she told producers before agreeing to Season 6 that she would not film if Paul returned. She filmed while Paul was not filming with MomTok, the creator group featured on the programme, and then stopped after learning Paul would rejoin.

Matthews said she made the decision more than a week ago. She described continuing on the series amid the situation around Paul as feeling "wrong and unethical," according to Variety. She added that she did not issue an ultimatum and has no control over casting decisions.

She said she will still fulfil contractual obligations, including interviews linked to material she has already filmed. That means viewers are still likely to see her in parts of Season 6 that were completed before she stepped away.

Season 5 was shortened following domestic violence claims involving Paul and her former partner Dakota Mortensen. Matthews had earlier confirmed a pause in Season 5 filming, which People reported took place amid an open domestic assault investigation.

Season 6 is now in production. Filming reportedly resumed in May 2026, according to TV Insider. The new season has also addressed two other developments around Paul: her scrapped turn on The Bachelorette and her failed engagement to Doug Mason.

For viewers, this leaves a split. Matthews will appear in footage already shot, but will not take part in further filming involving Paul.