Fans of #MomTok, buckle up. Two years ago, a group of Mormon wives and mothers on TikTok captured For You pages with rumors that they were a content house full of swingers. Now, the group is taking the drama from people’s phone screens to televisions. The trailer for the new Hulu reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was released on Wednesday and gave viewers a sneak peek at all the salacious drama surrounding the inner workings of this Utah community.
The series, which premieres Sept. 6, stars Taylor Frankie Paul, Demi Engemann, Jennifer Affleck, Jessi Ngatikaura, Layla Taylor, Mayci Neeley, Mikayla Matthews, and Whitney Leavitt — all popular Mormon mom influencers on TikTok. The women are best known for being part of a viral Utah content house, where Mormon mothers collaborate on dance, beauty, and trending videos. Each averages around 4 million followers on their individual pages alone. “Faith, friendship, and reputations are all on the line,” the series synopsis reads. “Will #MomTok be able to survive and continue to give the rulebook a run for its money, or will this group fall from grace?”
Set to Sam Smith’s “Unholy” (specifically the “Mommy don’t know” lyric), the Secret Lives trailer hints at the conflict these women are dealing with, becoming breadwinners with their TikTok views and pushing the boundaries of the Mormon faith with drinking and dancing. But the trailer isn’t afraid to dive deep into the lore surrounding the mom friend group, almost immediately referring to the rumors that took the women from TikTok fame to international headlines. “
The drama first went viral in 2022 after Paul announced that she would be separating from her husband. The story seemed simple: Two married people didn’t want to be together anymore and were committed to co-parenting their child. But in a now-infamous TikTok Live, Paul told her followers that behind the picture-perfect content house was a secret swinging friend group. Also known as “soft swingers,” Paul claimed that the couples in the group would drink and swap partners. “No one is innocent,” Paul said. “Everyone has hooked up with everyone.” No one was allegedly allowed to go all the way unless both spouses were in the room, but Paul claimed her divorce stemmed specifically from her breaking those swinging rules with a friend’s husband. It was a bold claim from a creator who is known online for staging elaborate skits, but even with viewers casting doubt on Paul’s story, her claims quickly escaped the app and went viral online. Now this internet drama is making its debut on a much larger stage.
Perry (center) and Hubbard with Gabonese Ambassador Noël Nelson MessoneEthan E. Rocke/Americans for Ibogaine
The iboga plant produces bright-orange fruit, but it’s the bark that is used to make the sacrament.
A Bwiti ceremony in Gabon. Iboga is the religion’s sacrament, and a central part of its rituals.AnneClaire Stapleton/Americans for Ibogaine
Hubbard (seated left) at a Bwiti ceremony.AnneClaire Stapleton/Americans for Ibogaine
Hubbard in GabonAnneClaire Stapleton/Americans for Ibogaine
Ibogaine is prepared for use in a guided psychedelic experience at a clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, July 26, 2024.Mark Abramson/”New York Times”/REDUX
Hubbard and Perry at the Americans for Ibogaine meetingEthan E. Rocke/Americans for Ibogaine
