The world of social media was forever changed by a group of four Mormon mothers from Utah, who banded together to create the viral MomTok community. This tight-knit group, led by Taylor Frankie Paul, became the most recognisable faces of a movement that saw mothers flock to TikTok to share their lives. Now, their story continues to unfold in the hit Hulu reality series, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which has just released its highly anticipated third season.
The Genesis of a Viral Sensation
With TikTok's explosive growth beginning in 2020, a new online community was born. Women began creating content about motherhood, from relatable birth stories to daily routines. Amidst this digital revolution, one particular group stood out. Taylor Frankie Paul, Whitney Leavitt, Mikayla Matthews, and Mayci Neeley, a quartet of Mormon friends from Utah, quickly rose to prominence. In January 2022, they officially launched the MomTok hashtag, giving a name to the community that had already amassed millions of followers. They became famous for their synchronised dance moves and matching styles, often featuring crop tops and claw clips.
The Original Four Faces of MomTok
Taylor Frankie Paul, the 31-year-old creator of MomTok, sent the internet into a frenzy in May 2022. After divorcing her husband Tate, she revealed a 'soft swinging' agreement between her and other MomTok couples to her 3.5 million TikTok followers. Her bombshell confession on a TikTok livestream, where she stated, 'The whole group was intimate with each other,' led to her being shunned by the group. Since the divorce, Paul began dating Dakota Mortensen and had her third child. After that relationship ended, she was announced as ABC's new Bachelorette and is currently filming the upcoming season.
Whitney Leavitt, 32, shot to TikTok fame with a video of herself dancing in the hospital while her baby was being treated for RSV in 2021. She now boasts over three million followers and is currently competing on season 34 of Dancing with the Stars. Leavitt has been married to Conner Leavitt since 2016, and they share three children together.
Mikayla Matthews, 25, first gained attention after becoming a teen mum at 16. An original MomTok member, she has used her platform to advocate for skincare, openly discussing her struggles with chronic eczema. Matthews has been married to Jace Terry since 2018, and the couple have four children.
Mayci Neeley, 30, is a former Division I tennis player for Brigham Young University and a newly minted best-selling author for her memoir, Told You So. She has been open about her in vitro fertilization journey on the show. Neeley is in a blended family with her husband, Jacob Neeley, and they have three children together.
Expansion and Ongoing Drama
The original core four eventually expanded to include other influencers such as Jen Affleck, Demi Engemann, Layla Taylor, and Jessi Ngatikaura, forming the eight original cast members for the show's first season. Early MomTok influencers Miranda McWhorter and Camille Munday initially declined to join over privacy concerns. However, McWhorter changed her mind and joined the season two cast after her ex-husband admitted their involvement in the group's swinging scandal.
Following a season two finale that featured another shocking affair revelation, season three of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is now available to stream on Hulu and Disney+. All nine cast members have returned, promising even more twists and turns from the lives of these influential mothers.
