Hulu’s reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives hit its highest dramatic note in the Season 2 finale with the revelation that cast member Marciano Brunette allegedly had an affair with fellow influencer Jessi Ngatikaura, and stars Whitney Leavitt and Layla Taylor have now spoken out on the fallout.
Layla Taylor acknowledged the confusion the twist has caused among viewers, saying, “We’re all figuring that out together,” as the cast grapples with blurred lines between staged moments and genuine emotion.
She urged audiences to keep watching as alliances shift and true intentions emerge, emphasizing that the narrative is still unfolding on-screen.
Decider reports that fan theories have linked Demi Engemann to a potential diversion tactic, suggesting she may have orchestrated attention on the affair to overshadow controversies surrounding her own personal life.
Whitney Leavitt described the affair claims as shocking and criticized the public disclosure of a staged affair plan involving Dakota Mortensen during Season 1, calling it “hurtful” to those involved.
Both Leavitt and Taylor highlighted the added difficulty of portraying authentic personal drama under heavy editing and intense public scrutiny.
Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, a sex therapist and marriage counselor with ties to the LDS Church, warned that sensational storylines could feed outsiders’ misconceptions about Mormon beliefs in fidelity and chastity.
In a Deseret News opinion piece, writer Sarah Jane Weaver appealed to media to tell the stories of everyday Latter-day Saint women whose faith-driven lives stand in contrast to the scandalized cast members featured on the show .
Sociologist Danielle Lindemann notes that reality television often shapes public perceptions of social norms and cautions that programs like this can reinforce stereotypes rather than foster understanding.
The series, which premiered on September 6, 2024, examines the aftermath of Taylor Frankie Paul’s viral 2022 “soft-swinging” scandal among Utah-based “MomTok” influencers, with Season 2 debuting on May 15, 2025.
Production on Season 3 began in October 2024 and is currently underway, promising more revelations and relationship upheavals from the tight-knit MomTok circle. You can read our review of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives second season to see if it is worth steaming or not.