New Hulu reality series about 'Mormon Wives' set to debut
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Cast members from "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives." Photo: Natalie Cass/Disney
A new Hulu reality series "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" is drawing buzz and controversy for its depiction of Latter-day Saints.
State of play: The eight-episode reality series chronicles the ups and downs of eight #MomTok influencers living in Utah.
The big picture: The show has been criticized by Latter-day Saints who say it misrepresents the Utah-based faith and its members.
Catch up quick: The series stems from the viral soft-swinging TikTok scandal in 2022 when influencer Taylor Frankie Paul, one of the show's leads, revealed she was getting a divorce after she "stepped out" of her marriage's boundaries with her friend's husband.
- Paul also shared in 2022 that some #MomTok members swapped partners, leading to a sharp divide within the friend group.
The other side: Ahead of the show's release, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement condemning recent media depictions of the faith.
- "Some portrayals are fair and accurate, but others resort to stereotypes or gross misrepresentations that are in poor taste and have real-life consequences for people of faith," church officials said in August without naming the series.
Yes, but: Most cast members told Axios last week they joined the series to showcase their real lives and squash misconceptions about modern Latter-day Saint women.
- "Don't judge us, because we do showcase eight different stories, eight different faith journeys," Jessi Ngatikaura told us. "I think it's inspiring. I know women are going to connect to it."
Zoom in: Religion will play a bigger role than on "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" on Bravo.
- It's filled with references of Utah culture that may make viewers feel seen — or look away.
The intrigue: Many of the show's plotlines and discussions center around sexual empowerment, gender roles and the pressures to attain perfection — more so than the scandal itself.
- "I wanted to show a more true version of myself, rather than the headline of what I was known for," Paul told Axios, speaking on the news coverage that catapulted her to fame.
How to watch: All episodes of the series drop on Hulu on Friday.