Mormon Wives Season 5 Cast Shake-Up: Who’s In, Who’s Out?

Cameras are rolling again on season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives — but will every fan favorite be back? The Hulu breakout that premiered in 2024 vaulted Jen Affleck and husband Zac Affleck to center stage, and now the question is who’s in and who’s out.

Season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is rolling again after a messy pause, and the cast board looks... complicated. Here is where production stands, why it stopped, and who is actually showing up when the cameras get back to work.

Quick rewind: why production hit pause

The Hulu series launched in 2024 with a core group that quickly found themselves living online as much as on camera: Jen Affleck and husband Zac Affleck; Demi Engemann and husband Bret Engemann; Whitney Leavitt and husband Conner Leavitt; Mikayla Matthews and husband Jace Terry; Mayci Neeley and husband Jacob Neeley; Jessi Draper with Jordan Ngatikaura; Taylor Frankie Paul with then-partner Dakota Mortensen; and Layla Taylor. Miranda McWhorter joined in season 2 after splitting from her ex, Chase McWhorter.

After four seasons (plus some crossover moments with Vanderpump Villa), production shut down in March 2026 following an alleged domestic violence incident between Taylor and Dakota in February. Both requested temporary restraining orders. Dakota was granted temporary custody of their son, Ever, and Taylor received supervised visitation until the next court hearing. Around the same time, ABC scrapped Taylor's Bachelorette season just days before it was set to premiere. Authorities later confirmed Taylor would not face charges tied to the February incident.

Filming is now back on, though it is not clear if every single cast member will step back in front of the cameras.

Who is in, who is out, and who is TBD

• Jen Affleck (with Zac Affleck) — Back for season 5. Jen has also hinted she could pop up on the Orange County spinoff.
• Demi Engemann (with Bret Engemann) — After a smaller presence in season 4, she is likely not returning. No official word on whether Demi and Bret have fully exited.
• Whitney Leavitt (with Conner Leavitt) — On the fence. Whitney and Conner are living in New York City while she plays Roxie Hart in Broadway's Chicago, which complicates a return.
• Mikayla Matthews (with Jace Terry) — Expect season 5 to cover Mikayla's separation from Jace.
• Mayci Neeley (with Jacob Neeley) — Filmed for season 5. Meanwhile, her sister McCall DaPron is front and center on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County.
• Jessi Draper (with Jordan Ngatikaura) — Jordan filed for divorce while season 5 was in production. That split is poised to play out on camera. Marciano Brunette, who has been spending time with Jessi post-separation, may also surface.
• Taylor Frankie Paul (and Dakota Mortensen) — The door is open for Taylor, but her return this year is uncertain as she prioritizes her mental health. Dakota is not coming back to the show.

  "The producers and cast have welcomed Taylor to return to this year's filming. It is still unclear whether she will come back this year, but she is expected to be back in the future. "

  The vibe from Taylor's camp: she wants to return at some point, just not necessarily right this second.
• Layla Taylor — Split from boyfriend Mason McWhorter between seasons 4 and 5, and that change in her love life will be addressed when the show returns.
• Miranda McWhorter — Season 5 will track how she deals with the fallout from learning her ex, Chase, kissed her friend Jessi. (If you are mapping relationships on a whiteboard, you are not alone.)

The bottom line

Season 5 is back on track, but expect a lineup in flux and storylines pulled straight from real-life upheaval: a divorce in motion (Jessi/Jordan), a separation (Mikayla/Jace), a high-profile legal scare that ended without charges (Taylor/Dakota), and at least one Broadway detour (Whitney). Taylor's full-fledged return looks more like a "when" than an "if"; Dakota is out. And yes, the Orange County offshoot is already tugging at cast allegiance — Jen teasing a cameo there, Mayci filming here while her sister leads that spinoff. Buckle up.