Jessi Draper is showing support for fellow #MomTok member and “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” co-star Taylor Frankie Paul in the midst of the explosive fallout from her “Bachelorette” season being pulled following the release of footage from her 2023 domestic violence arrest.
Draper broke her silence on Paul’s drama-filled situation and offered nothing but kind words of support, while also coming to her defense.
Jessi Draper Says ‘I Love Her So Much’ Regarding Taylor Frankie Paul Domestic Violence Fallout
In an interview on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast on Wednesday, March 25, “Mormon Wives” star Jessi Draper publicly addressed the domestic violence allegations and 2023 video release regarding Taylor Frankie Paul, and voiced her support.
“I don’t like to judge someone in their darkest moment. I don’t want to judge the person, I’ll judge the mistake,” Draper said. “Taylor really has made a lot of changes, and that’s what’s so hard for me. This is my real friend, and she does have a really good heart, and I love her so much.”
Draper noted that Paul has been dealing with a lot of pain behind the scenes, which she said is not necessarily indicative of who she is.
“Seeing that video is so hard, because there’s so much pain underneath the surface for Taylor,” she said during the interview, visibly holding back tears. “It’s not who Taylor is. She got caught in a really bad cycle.”
Draper Shared She Hopes The Release Of 2023 Domestic Violence Footage Is A ‘Wake-Up Call’ For Paul
The founder of JZ Styles told host Alex Cooper about Paul’s character while acknowledging her past mistakes.
“Taylor’s such a good person, and she’s made some mistakes, and so has Dakota. I’m not saying any of it’s right, but I know Taylor as a person, and it’s so easy to speculate about these people on a reality show,” Draper said.
She continued, adding, “I’ve seen Taylor in her darkest moments, holding her crying. I’ve been there for it, so I know what goes on behind the scenes.”
As for what she hopes for Paul’s future, Draper said that the latest incident should be the “wake-up call” that leads Paul to “get help.”
“I want this to be, maybe, a wake-up call for them,” she said. “Let’s get them help, healthy and happy, and move forward. I believe people can come back from things like this, and I just want the kids to be safe and happy and healthy. That’s all I really want for them right now.”
Taylor Frankie Paul Addressed The Release Of The 2023 Video Footage Following The Cancellation Of Her ‘Bachelorette’ Season
Shortly after news broke that her completed season of ABC’s “The Bachelorette” would not air as planned amid the release of 2023 footage that led to her arrest for domestic violence, Taylor Frankie Paul addressed the fallout.
“Worst part is my daughter having to relive and see it all over again years later, after extensive work with her and apologies to her about that night,” Paul commented on a TikTok video. “And my baby boy’s birthday was taken from him.”
The ‘Mormon Wives’ Star’s Rep Previously Slammed Ex Dakota Mortensen’s ‘Destructive Campaign’ Against Her
On March 19, a rep for Taylor Frankie Paul didn’t hold back in addressing her ex-boyfriend, and father of her son, Ever, for the ongoing media leaks regarding the alleged domestic violence incident that occurred between them.
In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, the rep for Paul slammed Mortensen for creating a narrative that absolves him of any wrongdoing.
“It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child,” Paul’s rep began.
“Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior,” the statement said.
The rep continued, stating that Mortensen’s behavior is well-documented and manipulative.
“Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is, and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show and from their own experiences,” the rep added.
‘Mormon Wives’ Production Remains Shut Down, Co-Stars Want Her To Stay
Sources connected to the show said that all of MomTok is on Paul’s side and “rooting for her to work through her issues, but feel production and Hulu haven’t done enough to push her in that direction.”
The source also told the outlet that, in addition to the cast wanting Paul to remain on the show, they don’t believe the possibility of her being fired has even been floated.
As of now, there is no word on when filming will resume, but the “Mormon Wives” cast is so frustrated with production that communication has stopped. There were reportedly only a few weeks left of filming for season 5, but currently, there is no update on whether the season will be completed.
