Mormon Wives Jessi Admits Marciano Affair Was a Huge Mistake, Calls Out Ex Jordan

Jessi Draper just went on the record about the affair storyline that blew up her life on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and she did not soft-pedal it. She owned the mess with Marciano Brunette, took a swipe at ex Jordan Ngatikaura, and teased where the show is headed now that cameras are rolling again.

Jessi now: regret, context, and calling out the edit

"Having an affair on-camera definitely shook up my life a little bit."

In a Vulture interview published Monday, May 4, Jessi, 34, said the emotional connection she formed with Marciano, 31 (yes, the Vanderpump Villa guy), is the one thing she would undo. She called it a huge mistake and said she would never put herself through that again, especially in public.

She also admitted she struggles to cry or be vulnerable on camera and feels what viewers saw didn’t capture how deep things actually were. Her goal now, she says, is to learn from all of it and maybe be a tiny bit useful to anyone else screwing up in real time.

How we got here (the short version)

• Jessi and Jordan, both 31, share two kids: Jagger, 5, and Jovi, 2. The show documented the fallout from Jessi’s emotional affair with Marciano — something she initially denied before coming clean.
• On The Viall Files in Nov. 2025, Jessi said they were dealing with the affair privately for about six months before it hit TV. During that period, she claims Jordan was threatening to leak her messages publicly — she says he even kept draft posts on TikTok as leverage. Jessi says this came up during filming but didn’t make the edit.
• She described the relationship as toxic by the end. According to her, it escalated into him recording her, taunting her, and the two of them screaming and chasing each other around the house — the day she finally left.
• Marciano’s take landed in Dec. 2025: he said he felt for Jessi based on what he was told, but actually watching it all back gave him a clearer picture of what she and Jordan were going through. He admits he made things look worse for both of them and says he regrets his part in it.
• He also gets why he’s a trigger for Jordan, but says he’s open to mending fences someday. He’s called Jordan a good guy and said he likes him — and, yes, he gave a friendly nod to the DadTok crowd.
• In March, Jordan filed for divorce after five years of marriage. He also sought a restraining order that was denied. His public statement framed the split as a difficult but thoughtful decision, thanked Jessi for the memories and lessons, and focused on keeping the kids loved, supported, and protected. He asked for privacy and promised to handle the next chapter with kindness and respect.

Where things stand between Jessi and Jordan

In that Vulture chat, Jessi referred to Jordan as the show’s "villain." It is not subtle. Given everything above, it’s clear why that word is sticking for her — especially with those behind-the-scenes allegations she says never aired.

So what about the show?

Season 5 is back in production after a pause tied to Taylor Frankie Paul’s legal issues. Jessi says a lot has happened since they last filmed and describes herself as a completely different person now. She’s hoping cameras pick up soon so the show can actually reflect who she is post-fallout.