‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Boss Tells All About Expanding to OC, Taylor Frankie Paul and Whitney’s New Show

It’s no secret that the sudden fame that hit the stars of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” prompted some key cast members to outgrow their Utah roots as they pursued stints on “Dancing With the Stars” and even, in Whitney Leavitt’s case, Broadway. But instead of letting the shifts impact the flagship series — which has faced its own pauses, more on that below — executive producer Jeff Jenkins took it as an opportunity to expand the hit reality franchise with its first “Mormon Wives” spinoff in Orange Country, Calif., which dropped its full first season Thursday on Hulu. California was a natural next frontier after Jen Affleck and Leavitt fell in love with L.A. after living in the city for “Dancing With the Stars” and decided to move there. Affleck and her husband, Zac — prior to their divorce — moved their family there, while Whitney and Conner Leavitt were planning on moving, but pivoted after she landed the role of Roxie Hart in “Chicago” on Broadway. Jen Affleck and partner Jan Ravnik performed a salsa to “NUEVAYoL” by Bad Bunny on the premiere night of “Dancing With the Stars” Season 34 (Credit: Disney/Eric McCandless) Ahead of the move, both Affleck and Leavitt had been reaching out to friends of friends and acquaintances to establish a community akin to Utah’s MomTok, though the women they reached out to ran in different circles, to say the least. “Jen and Whitney are at different places with their faith, so I think Jen seemed to be reaching out to women who were a little bit more faith-based, and Whitney was reaching out to women who were are a little bit — I guess they’d use the term Jack Mormon, sometimes Mormon or former Mormon,” Jenkins told TheWrap. So when Leavitt pivoted her plans to move to New York, it was Affleck who decided to try to combine the two friend groups, whose vastly different perspectives on faith, marriage and family became the basis for Season 1. And so the ensemble cast for “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: O.C.” was formed alongside Affleck: the “Molly Mormons” made up of Mayci Neeley’s sister McCall DaPron, Madison Bontempo, Ashleigh Pease and Jordan McClanahan; and the “Jack Mormons” made up of internet personalities Aspyn Ovard and Bobbi Althoff as well as Salomé Andrea and Avery Woods. Billy, Aspyn Ovard and Bri in “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County.” (Disney/Ashley Rose) Mixing the groups leads to quite a bit of tension, especially as it relates to Ovard, who filed for divorce from ex-husband Parker Ferris in 2024 and is now in a throuple relationship with Bri and Billy Davis, who appear in the Hulu reality series. And that’s not to mention the friction between Althoff and DaPron, who consistently butt heads across the first eight episodes. “Bobbi is anti-religion and McCall is all in — to see the evolution of their very unexpected relationship is one of my very favorite things in the season,” Jenkins said, noting that by the end of Season 1, there are “at least the beginnings of a genuine friendship between the two groups, and a little bit more understanding.” “There’s still friggin’ potholes of disagreement, but I think they end stronger as a group than when they began,” Jenkins said. “I didn’t even know if they were going to make it through week one. Honestly, I was like, ‘Oh my god, these girls are going to murder each other.’ “ Madison Bontempo, Avery Woods, Aspyn Ovard, Jen Affleck, Bobbi Althoff, McCall DaPron, Ashleigh Pease, Ashleigh Pease and Salomé Andrea in “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County.” (Disney/Maya Dehlin) Affleck served as the initial bridge between the groups for Season 1, but Jenkins said she’d likely return should “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: O.C.” get a Season 2 green light. “It’s entirely up to her, and I think if I am understanding correctly, as of today, Jen is based in L.A.,” Jenkins said. “She lives in Southern California, so I expect that if we get the opportunity to shoot a Season 2 that Jen will continue on ‘Mormon Wives: O.C.’ because this is where she lives.” But that doesn’t mean that she’s no longer a part of the Utah MomTok group — Neeley and Mikayla Matthews even made an appearance for her second try at a Vegas trip — with Jenkins noting the benefits of her staying in both groups. “For Jen to recognize some of the dynamics in the O.C. ladies that she’s wrestling with in her own marriage, and that she could recognize, ‘Hey, this is how I was treated. Let’s do it differently.’ That, to me, was such a clear reason for Jen to remain a part of both of these groups,” Jenkins said. “It’s really neat to see Jen be able to help others in that way. Who would have thought?” Jordan McClanahan, Jen Affleck, McCall DaPron and Chandler Higginson in “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County.” (Disney/Ashley Rose) While Affleck’s move to Southern California made way for “O.C.,” Leavitt’s career pivot into Broadway, scripted movies and more will be captured in a new unscripted show starring and produced by Leavitt, hailing from Jeff Jenkins Productions, 3BMG and Leavitt Media House. Jenkins revealed that the show, which is currently in production, will follow her varied endeavors while spending more time with her extended family, as she balances personal connections with her expanding career. “She’s one of those people — whatever she’s doing, you want to lean in and watch. She just has that charisma,” he said. But leading an unscripted show solo takes a level of openness and willingness not required of an ensemble series, with Jenkins explaining, “it’s one thing to do ‘Mormon Wives’ … there’s six or eight or 10 of them at any one time … when you’re at the center of your own show, you have to carry the ball every day, all day, in every episode.” “I think all of the ladies on these ensembles, in theory, could carry their own family show, their own personal show, but … I don’t know if each of them are open to what’s required,” Jenkins said when asked if any other cast members could have the chops to lead a solo spinoff. With the flagship series on hold following the fallout of Taylor Frankie Paul’s domestic abuse situation — which prompted ABC to shelve her season of “The Bachelorette” — Jenkins did not provide an update on where the show stood even with its recent 20-episode renewal, but noted Paul has been making progress that he’s seen firsthand. “All of these experiences for Taylor over the last couple years are just really part of the culmination of her having to pause and take stock of her life, and take stock of her decisions. Because everyone at JJP, and I know everyone at the network wants her real life, her real health, to be on point, and that she is safe,” Jenkins said, revealing that he visited her in Utah just weeks prior. “Since the day I met her, I have never seen her looking better, being more calm, composed, centered, grounded, reflective, owning her mistakes, and focusing on working on herself so that her future is different,” he said. “I’ve never seen her better. Truly, I’m very happy for her.” With that said, while Paul said publicly she would be leaving “Mormon Wives,” Jenkins said he’s “hopeful that she will change her mind, because personally, I would like her back, and I would like her to continue.” “I don’t think this point is where her public story should end. For better or worse, there are many women who are rooting for her and see her as a guiding light and watching how she navigates challenges,” Jenkins said. “I’ve never seen her looking better and sounding better, and I think it’s possible for her to rise and change and improve.” “I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he continued. “I hope that she will change her mind, and I hope that we will see her again in some way, shape or form, because I do think she’s on the right path now. And sometimes it just takes a lot to get us realigned.” But Jenkins — alongside plenty of fans — would still like to see that season of “The Bachelorette.” “I would like to see that season of ‘The Bachelorette,’ Where is it?” he said. “All the press has told us broadly why we haven’t seen it yet, right? And all that makes sense, but OK, can we watch it, please? I’d like to see it.” With “Mormon Wives: O.C.” launched, Jenkins also said he’s open to further expansions — but likely just limited to the Mormon faith. “Anything is possible in theory, but I think what sets the Mormon faith apart from all others is there is a mystery about it,” Jenkins explained. “It’s a little bit mysterious, and it’s also, as we all know, a newer faith. It’s only a few hundred years old, so there’s mystery and chatter around it.” But he’s open to another spinoff should the team find “another city with something that’s distinct.” “It could happen. I would love to continue to explore,” he said. “The faith is so mysterious, and each of these women have such a unique intersection with it. As long as the the women are unique and the stories are fresh, I think it’s all possible.” “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County” is now streaming on Hulu.