From explosive cheating allegations to ongoing feuds about money, fame and loyalty, the stars of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” have found themselves entangled in a web of drama both on-screen and off-screen that has led to the downfall of friendships.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, stars Whitney Leavitt and Miranda McWhorter opened up about the show’s impact on MomTok and how “jealousy and comparison” have unavoidably ripped bonds apart behind the scenes.
“It’s hard because this is a new thing that we’re trying to navigate, and with us navigating this new part of this dynamic and this relationship, there can be jealousy and comparison,” Leavitt, who was dubbed as the first season’s “villain” last year, said. “And I think, at least for me, I’m still trying to navigate that.”
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“And shame as well from outside friendships or family members,” McWhorter, whose involvement with the swinging scandal came to light this season, added. “There’s a level of embarrassment almost, I guess, for them too, which I can see where they’re coming from, but that can also be hurtful.”
“So it’s natural, I think, to have friendship fallouts or distance from family members or church leaders or so on, just because not everybody’s going to see eye to eye on what we’re doing here, and that’s totally fine, but that’s something that we obviously have to come to terms with, and the people that matter are there for us,” she added.
Since its debut in 2024, the hit show has continuously challenged the social and religious norms of modern-day Mormon women — leaving some viewers upset.
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“I don’t think it’s a secret that none of us depict the perfect, perfect stereotypical Mormon wife that is abiding by all the church rules and living exactly as they should, or they’re told to be, and living up to those expectations,” said McWhorter, whose past involvement with the swinging scandal came to light this season. “I think, yeah, there’s a lot of breaking social norms and religious norms within the church, and I think that I know it’s upsetting to some people.”
WATCH: ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ stars say fame, ‘jealousy and comparison’ tore friendships apart
“And not all of us are still active,” she continued. “Some are ex-members. We really just have a group of women with similar backgrounds and foundations of the church, and all of our faith journeys are now very separate and very different. But I think showing how that background, whether it be present day or in our past, relates to us now in all of our different experiences and just life as a mother and as a wife. For some, it breaks down a lot of those social and religious norms, which is something that can be kind of taboo to talk about.”
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Ahead of the season premiere, Layla Taylor opened up about the backlash the show has received from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“It’s been pretty positive for me,” Taylor, 24, said of the public’s response so far. “I was pretty quiet Season 1. I was a little bit more reserved, so I feel like there wasn’t necessarily much room for people to say much about me. But for the other girls, I know that they’re definitely under some heat after Season 1 came out.”
“I think with each season there will be more and more voices that become more active and more vocal,” she added. “And I could see that after Season 2. I could see some more hate on my end. But I think overall I felt good about my intentions and what I did throughout the seasons.”
Given the title of the show, one major wave of criticism came from the LDS Church, Taylor recalled.
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“I think that they’ve definitely kind of calmed down from their initial scare,” she said of the LDS Church‘s reaction to the first season. “I think when the show title was released before the initial show came out, definitely everyone was a little bit alarmed, and then the trailer came out, and they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s worse’ in their brains. And then I think they finally saw the show, and they’re like, ‘OK, they’re not misrepresenting. I think that they’re just showing members at different levels within their faith that still have a genuine basis of relationship with God and a relationship with Jesus.'”
This season, however, the drama that unfolded on screen was more so focused on cheating accusations, taking accountability and lack of loyalty among the group.
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One major plot line that was brought to light this season was the soft-swinging sex scandal that involved the self-proclaimed creator of MomTok, Taylor Frankie Paul, and McWhorter.
Paul exposed details surrounding the swinging scandal last season, of which McWhorter denied her involvement at the time. Now, the mom of two — who made her debut this season — openly admitted to participating in certain swinging situations with Paul and others.
“I think that it was kind of a long time coming, and I think that in me coming out with it, I think it’s been a very healing experience for me,” McWhorter told Fox News Digital. “That doesn’t mean that it hasn’t come with backlash. I mean, yeah, it’s definitely difficult with my family. I think more or less, not as much only the swinging stuff, but I also think my family — they’re very active and developed members of the church, and I think when they have a child who feels a little bit differently about it, that’s inevitably going to be hard for them.”
“And that’s something that we’re navigating, and I appreciate the grace they’ve given me, and I’m trying to give them that in return,” she continued. “But yeah, I mean, obviously, it’s not your standard Mormon couple story, so yeah, it’s definitely different and uncomfortable and awkward for people to hear about. But this whole thing has been so long, so drawn out that it is nice to finally have it out, and it’s freeing to be able to talk about it openly now.”
“Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” Season 2 is available to stream now on Hulu.
