Dakota Mortensen's Role Removed from Upcoming 'Vanderpump Villa' Season

Dakota Mortensen's planned appearance in the third season of Hulu's reality series 'Vanderpump Villa' has been eliminated through editing. The season is scheduled to debut on April 16. Mortensen, known for his role in 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,' was originally set to participate in a storyline involving members of DadTok, a collective connected to the MomTok influencers featured on 'Mormon Wives.' The decision to remove his content was initially reported by Variety. Hulu has not provided a statement regarding the editorial change. This development follows ongoing personal conflicts between Mortensen and his former partner, Taylor Frankie Paul, which have impacted multiple television productions. Last month, a domestic violence inquiry involving the couple caused a temporary halt in filming for the fifth season of 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.' Additionally, the release of a 2023 dispute video led ABC to postpone the 22nd season of 'The Bachelorette,' which starred Paul; its future airing remains uncertain. Paul's narrative on 'Mormon Wives' has frequently centered on her tumultuous relationship with Mortensen. In 2023, she was arrested and later admitted guilt to one count of aggravated assault, with other charges dismissed; segments of this incident were included in the show's 2024 premiere. The connection to 'Vanderpump Villa' stems from previous crossover episodes. The third season of 'Mormon Wives' addressed drama from an appearance by its stars Demi Engemann and Jessi Ngatikaura on the second season of 'Vanderpump Villa,' where they clashed with staff member Marciano Brunette over alleged intimate relationships. The fourth season of 'Mormon Wives' revisited this crossover, featuring spouses on a 'Villa' trip that intensified conflicts, including those between Mortensen and Paul. Despite this edit, Mortensen continues his reality television involvement with an upcoming role in 'Unwell Winter Games,' a YouTube competition series produced by Alex Cooper, premiering April 6.