Taylor Frankie Paul continues to make headlines, but this time she has one of her exes to thank for the renewed attention.
The reality TV star has been embroiled in controversies from domestic violence allegations to child custody drama and, most recently, a MomTok issue with her co-stars.
Now, she is making waves because her ex, Dakota Mortensen, is dating a little too close to home. Taylor Frankie Paul shares a son named Ever with her former flame, and they are currently butting heads over his custody.
Dakota has finally moved on from his tumultuous relationship with Taylor, but it seems he can’t get enough of women on the “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” The exes are stars on the show, and Dakota’s new flame, Shinia Powell, was a guest on the Hulu series.
The show, which follows a group of Utah-based TikTok influencers known as “MomTok,” has been embroiled in drama thanks to Taylor’s clashes with her co-stars. Now, there may be more feud brewing with Dakota’s blossoming relationship with Powell.
A source told PEOPLE the new couple grew closer during Dakota’s difficult moments, describing Powell as his “steady source of support.” They noted the duo started as close friends, which naturally grew into something more.
The New Relationship Comes Amid A Nasty Custody Battle
The source added that the lovebirds were not rushing into anything, saying, “They are enjoying their time together while thoughtfully navigating what that means for them and their children.” They added that Dakota and Powell wanted privacy as they moved forward “within an already tumultuous environment.”
The mention of a tumultuous environment seemingly referenced the ongoing legal drama between Taylor and Dakota. The exes have been butting heads over the custody of their son, Ever. The outlet reported that the situation escalated with a July 13 filing.
Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services reportedly filed a petition requesting that a juvenile court order protective supervision and appoint a guardian ad litem to represent Taylor’s three children. The petition claimed the entertainer’s kids were “abused, neglected, or dependent.”
The MomTok Drama Exploded With ‘SLOMW’ Stars Unfollowing Each Other
Besides the custody drama, Taylor had her hands full with issues with her “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” co-stars. The Blast covered the drama, reporting days earlier that eagle-eyed fans had noticed the reality TV star had unfollowed Miranda Hope and Layla Taylor.
The duo responded by unfollowing Taylor and defending their actions. Miranda stressed that she hit the unfollow button after noticing the mother of three no longer followed her. Layla echoed similar sentiments, noting she did not know why Taylor unfollowed, but she would not support someone one-sided.
Miranda and Layla’s actions came at the heels of Whitney Leavitt’s clash with Taylor. Whitney unfollowed the latter on Instagram, with Taylor responding with a rant, claiming she was the only one who repeatedly defended her co-star in the past. Yet, she was being abandoned at her lowest.
Another Co-Star Slammed The ‘Bachelorette’ Star As The Problem
The MomTok drama began when Leavitt shared a video with “SLOMW” stars excluding Taylor and captioned it, “We’re surviving.” The latter responded by dropping a video showcasing the job opportunities that have come her way outside the reality TV show.
Taylor also shared a post where she seemingly implied that the show wouldn’t have happened without her. The Blast reported that her words did not sit right with Matthews, who slammed the entertainer as insecure.
According to Mikayla, every woman on the show was responsible for the MomTok era and not a single person could be credited for their success. She accused Taylor of “weaponizing and manipulating” fans with the “I’m the reason you have this” narrative only to “intimidate” others.
Taylor Frankie Paul Blames Her Outbursts On Life Issues
Mikayla’s words seem to have awakened something in her co-star, as Taylor seemingly apologized for the MomTok drama. The Blast reported that she took to Instagram on July 12 with a lengthy statement, seemingly apologizing for her outbursts.
She claimed her frustration stemmed from dealing with too many things at once, and she couldn’t hold back when she saw Leavitt’s video with the other cast members. The TV personality felt excluded and had an emotional reaction to the situation.
Although she did not directly apologize for her actions, Taylor stressed that she was ready to move on from the MomTok drama. She argued that she never discredited her co-stars’ success and clarified that her reaction stemmed from feeling betrayed, not jealousy.
Will Taylor Frankie Paul react to her ex’s new relationship?