7 Child Stars Who Financially Supported Their Families

Several former child stars have discussed their experiences financially supporting their families in the beginning of their careers

NEED TO KNOW

• Zendaya, JoJo Siwa and Demi Lovato have all opened up about how child stardom made them their family's breadwinners

• Other stars, like Cole Sprouse and Jodie Foster, have reflected on the pressures of being a young person making a lot of money

In somefamous families, there's no shortage of star power.

However, there are also several entertainers who were the first members of their family to become famous. As they grew up on various television shows and movie sets, they also received more paychecks than the average kid.

In the years since becoming famous child stars, many of them have opened up about being the "breadwinners" for their families and helping with their finances. Some stars — likeSydney Sweeney— have even gone on to help with their parents' homes.

Read on to learn more about the young stars who've opened up about supporting their loved ones.

Zendaya

While speaking toVoguein April 2024,Zendayashared that she has"complicated" feelings about child stardom.

"I don’t know how much of a choice I had," she told the outlet. "I have complicated feelings about kids and fame and being in the public eye, or being a child actor."

"We’ve seen a lot of cases of it being detrimental," she continued. "I think only now, as an adult, am I starting to go, 'Oh, okay, wait a minute: I’ve only ever done what I’ve known, and this isallI’ve known.'"

The actress, who got her start on Disney Channel'sShake It Upsays that because of the success she found as a young actor, there was a shift in her family's dynamic.

"I felt like I was thrust into a very adult position: I was becoming thebreadwinner of my familyvery early, and there was a lot of role-reversal happening, and just kind of becominggrown,really," she explained.

Melissa Joan Hart

Melissa Joan Hartlooked back on her experience growing up as the oldest of eight siblings andthe ways in which she supported her familyduring an appearance on ABC Audio andGood Morning America’sPop Culture Momsin August 2024.

"I felt like I had to behave to be a role model for them,” she said. “You know, the money that I made on commercials andClarissa[Explains It All] or any of my acting jobs, it always went to the family.”

“I got to go pick out a Barbie and like, as I got older, some people were like, ‘Oh, that's not right. You should have kept your money,’ ” she added. “And I was like ... I would rather put food on the table and make sure my siblings had good clothes and bicycles for Christmas, you know, things like that. So, I definitely felt like I wanted to be responsible for them.”

JoJo Siwa

After competing onAbby's Ultimate Dance Competitionat age 9,JoJo Siwa's career took off with appearances onDance Moms,a wildly successful YouTube channel, a hit song "Boomerang" and a Nickelodeon deal that included a slew of merch — which of course included bows.

Now grown up, Siwa opened up onAlex Cooper'sCall Her Daddypodcastin April 2024about the impact her financial success has had on her family.

She said her mom,Jessalynn Siwa, thanked her for not leaving their family "high and dry" when she turned 18 and could access all the money she made as a child.

"My mom actually said something today to me that was really sweet,” Siwa said. "When you are a kid, 15 percent of every penny you make goes into a Coogan account [to protect her earnings]. My parents thought when I turned 18, I was gonna get my Coogan account money, take all of my money and have it all be mine."

“That’s always been a fear of theirs, always has been. Just because the opportunity of me leaving them high and dry was right there," she continued. "People have done it before. Child stars have done it before, but I would never do that to my family.”

Advertisement

Sydney Sweeney

After starting her acting career at "11, 12 years old,"Sydney Sweeneysaw what her parentssacrificed in order to help her reach her dreams.

“I watched my parents lose a lot. We filed for bankruptcy, and they lost their house back home on the lake," Sweeney toldWomen's Healthin November 2023. "We couldn’t afford life in L.A. We couldn’t afford life anywhere."

To help her parents make ends meet, Sweeney worked at Universal Studios, babysat and cleaned restaurant bathrooms.

“It was hard because they were supporting my dream, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” she explained. “I didn’t want to fail them. No matter how long it took, I was going to be in a TV show or a movie, and I wasn’t going to stop until something happened.”

Women's Healthnoted that Sweeney has since bought back her great-grandparents' home on the same lake where her parents lived and in March 2024, she told WhoWhatWear that she hadpaid off her mom's mortgage.

Demi Lovato

After years in the spotlight, fromBarney & FriendstoCamp Rockto a successful music career,Demi Lovatoopened up about how being her family's "breadwinner" impacted them for years to come.

"I noticed that when I came into the spotlight at a young age, and then was the breadwinner ... there wasn't a manual for my parents to read and it say, 'Here's what to do to raise a child star,' " Lovatosaid on an episode of her podcast,4D with Demi Lovato,in 2021. "They didn't get that."

"So when they would try to ground me at 17, I would say, 'I pay the bills.' And I cringe now when I think about that attitude," Lovato continued. "But when the world is putting you on a pedestal, you kind of think that you could do no wrong. As I've gotten older, I see my parents just as big kids themselves."

Keke Palmer

As a child,Keke Palmer's dream was to move to L.A. from the Chicago suburb where she lived with her parents. That dream would eventually come true, but not without some bumps in the road. While the plan was initially forher dad, Larry, to find a job once they moved, he ultimately stayed home to care for Keke's siblings as her mom, Sharon, was working closely with her as her manager, theLos Angeles Timesreported.

"It just hit a point where my dad could no longer do a job because if he did a job, then there would be nobody to take care of my older sister and my younger siblings because my mom was always with me," she told theTimes. "So it was like, all of our roles were switched. I became the financial breadwinner because my career was bringing in the most money, and my parents wanted to support me but they couldn’t have their own jobs because their own jobs would not even allow them to really be able to sustain a stable household."

"So everybody’s positions were flipped upside down," she added.

Because of this flip, Palmer said, she later began to feel the "pressure" that came along with supporting the family.

"I started to realize that I was the financial breadwinner, and that if I didn’t have a job, who would have a job? Or how could my parents have a job? Or how could we sustain the same lifestyle even if they did have a job? Because I was making the kind of money that many people never make," she said. "It put us in a crazy position."

Cole Sprouse

During a sit down with Alex Cooper for herCall Her Daddypodcast in March 2023,Cole Sprouseopened up about the ups and downs of growing up in the spotlight.

Sprouse, who started acting as an infant alongside his twin brotherDylan, explained what he sees as the "two types of kids" who get into acting at a young age.

"There's, like, the thespian children who choose to do it and then there's the working-class kids that, in our case, at least ... I mean, it started, really, as a means to put bread on the table," he said. "My parents did not come from too much."

Cole explained that he doesn't resent his parents for the decision or "regret" his early work, adding, "I have now been granted a life of primarily financial stability —and surplus in very many cases — that is the byproduct of working for 30 years and trading my childhood."

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin Mags

in

April 19, 2026

7 Child Stars Who Financially Supported Their Families

Several former child stars have discussed their experiences financially supporting their families in the beginning of their careers ...

Read More

Joe Jonas Goes Instagram Official With Tatiana Gabriela, Shows Rare Glimpse Into Their Romance

Joe Jonashas gone Instagram-official with girlfriendTatiana Gabriela, dropping their first loved-up couple photo on his grid.

Taking to social mediaon Saturday, April 18, the singer, 36, shared a carousel of photos, including a black-and-white image of Gabriela cozying up to him and tenderly resting her hands around his neck and shoulder.

“If you’re seeing this it means my puerto rico YT vid is up now ꕤ｡” Jonas captioned the post, as he promoted a new video dropped via theJonas Brothers’ YouTube channel.

In the YouTube video, Jonas shared a rare glimpse into the couple’s relationship with footage from a trip to Puerto Rico.

Joe Jonas Admits Dating Is ‘Scary and Intimidating’ After Finalizing Divorce From Sophie Turner

The eight-minute video shows the pair joking around as the Puerto Rican model attempted to teach the boy band member how to speak Spanish. Other parts of the video detailed the couple being affectionate with one another, casually drinking coffee, going out for dinner and eating pizza as well as enjoying mojitos and local street food such as pinchos.

“She’s helping with my Spanish,” Jonas told the camera at one point. He later added, “Then we went to a waterfall, we jumped in, it was so nice.”

Advertisement

Us Weeklybroke the news in Januarythat Jonas had recently started seeing Gabriela.

“They started seeing each other at the end of the summer,” a source exclusively toldUsat the time, revealing that Gabriela even met Jonas’ friends, family and his two daughters with ex-wife Sophie Turner.

Both Jonas and Gabriela have kept tight-lipped about their romance in public, but the “Cake by the Ocean” musician previously hinted at the relationship via social media.

Joe Jonas’ Dating History Through the Years: From Taylor Swift to Sophie Turner

In January, fans were convincedJonas was soft-launching his relationshipwith Gabriela when he uploaded a post via Instagram that featured one of his black studded loafers next to an mystery woman’s leg.

Jonas was previously married to Turner, 30, from 2019 to 2023 before the pair called it quits. The pair are coparents to two daughters, Willa, who was born in 2020 and Delphine, who they welcomed in 2022.

After finalizing his divorce, Jonas was briefly romantically linked to modelStormi Breefor several months in 2024.

“I was seeing somebody at the time, and I was kind of having this idea of dating again. It was really scary and intimidating,” Jonas said during a TalkShopLive livestream in May 2025, discussing the inspiration for his albumMusic for People Who Believe in Love. “Love takes different shapes and forms, and I was rediscovering what that was.”

byJastin Mags

in

April 19, 2026

Joe Jonas Goes Instagram Official With Tatiana Gabriela, Shows Rare Glimpse Into Their Romance

Joe Jonashas gone Instagram-official with girlfriendTatiana Gabriela, dropping their first loved-up couple photo on his grid. Tak...

Read More

Life jacket worn by Titanic passenger who survived auctioned for $900,000

A life jacket worn by a passenger on RMS Titanic as she escaped the sinking steamship on a lifeboat sold at auction on Saturday for $906,000.

The flotation device was worn by Laura Mabel Francatelli, a first-class passenger on the doomed ocean liner, and is signed by her and other survivors from the same lifeboat.

It was the star among items in a sale of Titanic memorabilia by Henry Aldridge & Son auctioneers in Devizes, western England, and sold to an unidentified telephone bidder for well over thepresale estimateof between 250,000 and 350,000 pounds.

The cream-colored life jacket, made of canvas with cork-filled sections, has been displayed at museums in both the United States and Europe.

"There are only a handful of life jackets worn by survivors which still exist today," auctioneer Andrew Aldridge told Cover Media, adding that most are held in museums and are unlikely to be sold.

A seat cushion from one of the Titanic lifeboats sold at the same auction for $527,000 to the owners of two Titanic museums in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Branson, Missouri.

The prices include an auction-house fee known as the buyer's premium.

"These record-breaking prices illustrate the continuing interest in the Titanic story, and the respect for the passengers and crew whose stories are immortalized by these items of memorabilia," auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said.

Advertisement

Billed as the world's most luxurious ocean liner and described as "practically unsinkable," the Titanic hit an iceberg off Newfoundland during its maiden voyage from England to New York. It sank within hours on April 15, 1912. Some 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers and crew died.

The Titanic is still a subject of worldwide fascination, in part because of the range of passengers aboard the ship, from paupers to plutocrats.

Francatelli was traveling with her employer, fashion designer Lucy Duff Gordon, and Lucy's husband Cosmo Duff Gordon. All three survived in the ship's lifeboat No. 1, which was launched carrying 12 people despite having a capacity for 40. Its failure to pick up survivors from the frigid water became a source of controversy.

The survivors were eventually picked up by the RMS Carpathia.

In 2025, acollector paid a record priceof over $2 million for a gold pocket watch linked to the Titanic. The 18-carat gold watch was gifted to its original owner, Isidor Straus, by his wife, Ida Straus, for his 43rd birthday. Straus, an American businessman and owner of Macy's, and his wife were first-class passengers on the Titanic.

The couple was known for their final act of selflessness aboard the sinking ship. The Strauses were offered two seats on a lifeboat once the ship had struck an iceberg, according to the U.K. government'sNational Archives, but they gave up their spots for younger people.

We traveled into the Strait of Hormuz. Here's what we saw.

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and his wife found dead in murder-suicide

Why Todd Lyons is leaving his ICE leadership position

byJastin Mags

in

April 19, 2026

Life jacket worn by Titanic passenger who survived auctioned for $900,000

A life jacket worn by a passenger on RMS Titanic as she escaped the sinking steamship on a lifeboat sold at auction on Saturday for $90...

Read More

“Summer House” Costars Amanda Batula and West Wilson Pack on the PDA on Kiss Cam at Yankees Game

Amanda Batula and West Wilson were spotted packing on the PDA while watching the New York Yankees play against the Kansas City Royals on Friday, April 17

NEED TO KNOW

• The Summer House costars confirmed their romance on March 31, following Batula’s split from Kyle Cooke and Wilson’s past with Ciara Miller

• One day before Batula and Wilson’s outing, Cooke was spotted kissing Real Housewives of Orange County alum Meghan King in New York City

Amanda BatulaandWest Wilsonaren’t hiding their romance from the jumbotron.

On Friday, April 17, theSummer Housecostars stepped out in New York City to watch the Yankees play against the Kansas City Royals. And while the pair were also accompanied by a few of Wilson’s friends, as seen in several photos shared on hisInstagram Stories, the two were spotted packing on the PDA in the stands.

As seen invideosshared on social media, West, 28, leaned over to kiss Batula, 34, as she sat with her feet casually resting on the back of the seat in front of her — and the intimate moment was publicly broadcast on Yankee Stadium’s Kiss Cam.

West and Batulaconfirmed their budding romance on March 31following weeks of online speculation.

"While this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity," theSummer Housecostars wrote in a joint statement shared on their respective Instagram Stories. “It was never our intention to purposely hide anything. Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we need a little space to process things privately before speaking on it."

"We've shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what's developed recently was the last thing either of us expected,” they continued. "Our connection grew out of a genuine, long-standing friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care."

While Wilson briefly dated his costarCiara Millerduring his first season ofSummer Housein 2023 before splitting that December, Batulaannounced her split from Kyle Cookein January following four years of marriage.

Advertisement

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

One day before West and Batula’s baseball outing, Cooke, 43, wasspotted kissingReal Housewives of Orange CountyalumMeghan Kingin New York City.

In footage obtained byPage Six, Cookecould be seen planting a kiss on King, 41, as they stood outside after an event at Temple Bar.

Meanwhile, Miller, 30,broke her silence on the pair’s relationshipduring an April 17 interview withGlamour.

“It’s one thing to experience hurt behind closed doors,” she told the outlet. “To experience it so publicly is like another layer, and then to have to see what you thought was your life still play out in season 10. It’s a major mindf---.”

"Whether or not West and I are working on a relationship, you just can’t put anything past a man," she continued. "But I just never would think that it would come from someone like Amanda, who has been what has felt like in my circle and in my corner for so long. I think that’s the craziest part."

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin Mags

in

April 18, 2026

“Summer House” Costars Amanda Batula and West Wilson Pack on the PDA on Kiss Cam at Yankees Game

Amanda Batula and West Wilson were spotted packing on the PDA while watching the New York Yankees play against the Kansas City Royals o...

Read More

Jennifer Lopez Played a Major Role in Kerry Washington’s Childhood

Kerry Washingtonhas recently revealed the person she has learned most of her dance moves from. While speaking on a podcast, the actress shared that she learned dance in her childhood days fromJennifer Lopez. Although they have never come together for a video, she hopes to do some moves with her childhood instructor someday.

Kerry Washington reveals she learnt to dance from Jennifer Lopez

Kerry Washington has finally revealed the secret behind her dance moves. While speaking on the April 14 episode of the “Good Hang With Amy Poehler” podcast, the actress revealed that she had learned most of her dance from Jennifer Lopez in her early days.

“[Lopez] taught me how to dance,” Washington said on the podcast. She then recalled having this “very eccentric, gay-man dance teacher” named Larry Maldonado, who taught her at the dance program at the Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx borough of New York City.

Advertisement

However, when Maldonado “got really sick in the ʼ80s” and was hospitalised, Lopez, who also attended the same class, stepped up to teach the little girls. Telling further, Washington recalled, “Jennifer is not that much older than me, but she’s a little bit older than me, so she was one of the big girls at the Club.” Washington was about 8 years old at the time, and Lopez was “16 or something like that.”

“I learned hip-hop and flamenco. I learned to dance from Jennifer,” Washington said. She even said that before Lopez went to Los Angeles “to pursue her dream of being famous,” thepop icondid this “very risqué” duet dance with Maldonado, who was back after being better. They were even told not to watch the show due to the nature of the dance, but they all “hid in the wings cause we couldn’t not watch it.”

“It was beautiful. She was beautiful,” said Washington, adding that Lopez has “always been a real inspiration” for her. However, Washington was quick to complain that despite this, Lopez has “never hired” her to “dance in any of her videos.” “I don’t know what that says,” joked Kerry. She also revealed that she has not worked with Gwyneth Paltrow either, despite attending the same NYC school. “You guys, I’m good,” Washington teased. “We have history. I’m available. Gwyneth? Jennifer?”

The postJennifer Lopez Played a Major Role in Kerry Washington’s Childhoodappeared first onReality Tea.

byJastin Mags

in

April 18, 2026

Jennifer Lopez Played a Major Role in Kerry Washington’s Childhood

Kerry Washingtonhas recently revealed the person she has learned most of her dance moves from. While speaking on a podcast, the actress sha...

Read More

Why are some ships going through the Strait of Hormuz during a blockade?

The United States’ blockade of Iranian ports has been “fully implemented” and put a halt to most of Tehran’s economic activity in just a day and a half, the head of US Central Command said Wednesday.

“An estimated 90% of Iran’s economy is fueled by international trade by sea. In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, US forces have completely halted all economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea,” Adm. Brad Cooper said in a statement on social media.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said earlier no vessels have breached the blockade since its implementation.

At the same time, reports are emerging of some commercial traffic transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic chokepoint between Iran and Oman through which 20% of the world’s oil exports and 80% of Iran’s oil exports travel.

But that commercial traffic doesn’t automatically negate Cooper’s claim.

Two key points:

• As stated by CENTCOM, the blockade covers all Iranian ports, both inside and outside of the Strait of Hormuz, but not the strait itself. Traffic not related to Iran may cross. Blockading an international waterway is illegal under maritime law.

• In enforcing the blockade, US forces can interdict ships carrying Iran-linked cargo tens of thousands of miles away. A commercial ship can be targeted in international waters long after it leaves the strait.

Analysts say modern technology allows blockade enforcement at great distances.

“(The US doesn’t) have to put ships in the Persian Gulf to blockade Iran,” said Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain.

He noted the 12+ ships CENTCOM says are on blockade duty. Most, if not all, of them are outside the strait. They can carry sophisticated tracking and reconnaissance gear linked to air and space systems.

And at least in the early days of this blockade, oil tankers aren’t going to get far. A fully laden tanker may travel at less than 20 mph. That’s not much faster than the speed of an average bicycle rider.

The US Navy also has the size and scope to pursue any ship getting outside of the Persian Gulf for weeks, anywhere in the world.

Advertisement

“The US blockade on Iranian ports does not have a defined geographic boundary, and the United States can interdict vessels almost anywhere in international waters until they arrive at their final port,” the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Tuesday.

Earlier this year, as Washington put pressure on the regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, US forces seized a Venezuelan tanker in the Indian Ocean, thousands of miles from its originating port.

“Be careful not to interpret (blockade) too literally as a physical interdiction of the strait itself,” said Bjorn Hojgaard, CEO of ship management company Anglo-Eastern.

The ISW also noted the US did grant exceptions from its blockade to humanitarian shipments, and allowed an undetermined “grace period” for neutral ships in Iranian ports to leave.

Six ships that may have been attempting to beat the blockade were stopped, and turned around at the direction of US forces, according to a CENTCOM statement Tuesday.

Meanwhile, CENTCOM said it was employing more than a dozen warships, over 100 aircraft and more than 10,000 personnel in blockade enforcement.

Schuster, the former Navy captain, gave a breakdown of roles for the vessels CENTCOM said were part of the blockade.

• Aircraft carrier: Carries surveillance aircraft and fighter jets for combat air patrols. Also houses a significant command, control, communication and intelligence center.

• Amphibious assault ship: Also conveys surveillance and attack aircraft, another command, control, communication and intelligence center, and hundreds of Marines who can board commercial ships.

• Amphibious transport dock: Will carry more Marines, helicopters, and Osprey transports.

• Dock landing ship: Comes with heavy-lift helicopters and more Marines.

• Destroyers: “They have the sensors, speed and weaponry to detect, intercept and if need be, board, seize and take the offending ship elsewhere,” Schuster said.

• Littoral combat ship: These can conduct mine countermeasures and tracking.

Schuster said the makeup of that force, much of it operating well back from the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian coast, leaves Tehran with limited options to respond.

The small attack boats of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy are designed for operating in the close confines of the strait and the Persian Gulf, not the open waters of the Arabian Sea and beyond.

Iran likely retains some ballistic and anti-ship cruise missiles despite weeks of US aerial bombardment of the country. But even when they had those in larger numbers, none are known to have hit any US warships operating in the Arabian Sea.

US President Donald Trump said last month that Iran had fired 101 missiles at the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, but all of them were taken out.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byJastin Mags

in

April 18, 2026

Why are some ships going through the Strait of Hormuz during a blockade?

The United States’ blockade of Iranian ports has been “fully implemented” and put a halt to most of Tehran’s economic activity in just ...

Read More

Taylor Frankie Paul, Dakota Mortensen share conflicting assault claims

Editor's note: This story contains graphic descriptions and video that some readers may find disturbing.

More details are emerging about dueling accusations from "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" starsTaylor Frankie PaulandDakota Mortensenabout alleged domestic violence over a 24-hour period earlier this year.

The exes describe an altercation in Mortensen's car in the early morning of Feb. 23, but their respective reports differ about the specifics of the alleged incidents on Feb. 22 and 23, detailed in Draper City, Utah, police records obtained by USA TODAY on April 16.

Mortensen, 33, alleged to a Draper City Police Department officer that 31-year-old Paul threw a drink at him, while Paul said in her statement that his drink spilled, causing him to get upset. While she alleges that he grabbed her head and slammed it against the dashboard, Mortensen wrote in his police report that "she began to kick my screen and punch my rearview mirror" before "trying to hit me and squeezing my face."

He then alleged he "shoved her off me," which caused her to "hit her head on the screen of my truck."

Lacking 'sufficient evidence':Taylor Frankie Paul not charged after domestic violence probe

Taylor Frankie Paul took the reality TV world by storm in 2024 when "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" became a cultural phenomenon. The "MomTok" influencer and most recent "Bachelorette" spoke candidly about her infamous "swinging scandal" and has faced legal troubles throughout the show.

See her career in the spotlight, beginning here backstage during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026, in Hollywood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Paul attends the 2026 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at The Kia Forum on Feb. 13, 2026, in Inglewood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Former NBA player Tacko Fall and Paul before the start of the game.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Paul was named ABC's "Bachelorette” for 2026. She is the first "Bachelorette" lead to helm the franchise despite never appearing on "The Bachelor".

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Paul attends the 2025 TIME100 Creators Launch Party at Gansevoort Rooftop on July 10, 2025, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Paul at an event hosted by Hulu on April 22, 2025, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives" stars Layla Taylor, Miranda McWhorter, Jessi Ngatikaura, Mikayla Matthews, Mayci Neeley, Paul, Jennifer Affleck, Whitney Leavitt and Demi Engemann attend the Los Angeles Premiere of Season 2 at Paramount Studios on May 9, 2025, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> From left, Affleck, Paul, McWhorter, Neeley, and Matthews at SiriusXM Studios on May 8, 2025, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mitchell Tenpenny and Paul speak onstage during The 58th Annual CMA Awards on Nov. 20, 2024, in Nashville.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Paul poses on the red carpet before the CMAs.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See 'Mormon Wives' star Taylor Frankie Paul's life in the spotlight

Taylor Frankie Paultook the reality TV world by storm in 2024 when "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" became a cultural phenomenon. The "MomTok" influencer and most recent "Bachelorette" spoke candidly about her infamous "swinging scandal" and hasfaced legal troubles throughout the show.See her career in the spotlight, beginning here backstage during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026, in Hollywood, California.

Weeks later, on March 19, police followed up at Mortensen's house and inspected his car, determining the rearview mirror and display screen were "working with no signs of damage."

Photos of their respective injuries from the alleged altercation, including scratches on Mortensen's neck and a hematoma on Paul's forehead, as well as wounds from past alleged incidents, were provided to police as evidence.

The investigation began when Mortensen's friend, Crew Eaton, called the police department the evening of Feb. 23 to express concern about Mortensen allegedly being assaulted by Paul earlier that day. That night, an officer arrived at Eaton and Mortensen's home to speak with Mortensen about the alleged incidents, which also include Mortensen's claim Paul assaulted him the morning of Feb. 22.

Why prosecutors aren't charging Taylor Frankie Paul or Dakota Mortensen

On April 14, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office announced it wasdeclining to pursue chargesin this case due to lack of sufficient evidence. The following day, Draper's city prosecutor also said the office would not file charges due to "likelihood of success at trial," the Draper police department detective wrote in the report.

The officer noted that on March 20, the city's prosecutor "advised that neither Taylor or Dakota are credible witnesses, with both their statements being fraught with inconsistencies."

"After a thorough investigation by Draper Police, the City Prosecutor has determined that there is insufficient corroborating evidence to support filing criminal charges against either party, as the City must prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt," an April 16 statement from the Draper City Justice Court said.

This legal development comes amid competing requests for protective orders from both parties.

Advertisement

Paulfiled a petition for a protective orderagainst Mortensen, who currently has hisown temporary protective orderagainst Paul. In her filing, Paul alleged a "high number of instances of abuse and domestic violence" that include four incidents involving assault, harassment and stalking from March 2025 to Feb. 23, 2026.

"As the Court will note from our competing requests for protective orders, our accounts as to what happened in his truck differ wildly," Paul acknowledged in her filing. "Essentially, we each allege that we were physically assaulted by the other."

Mortensen provided Draper police with several photos and videos of confrontations with Paul and his alleged injuries, which date back to August 2024.

Paul and Mortensen's son is in the middle of their competing claims

According to Mortensen's temporary protective order against Paul, issued by the judge April 7 and obtained by USA TODAY, Mortensen retains temporary custody of their son, whilePaul has been granted "up to eight hours"of supervised parent time each week.

Mortensen and Paul share 2-year-old son, Ever. Paul and her ex-husband, Tate Paul, have two children together: Indy, 8, and Ocean, 5.

In the Draper detective's report, he noted a Child Protective Services investigation into both parties was ongoing, noting a 2025 incident in which, according to the officer, Paul allegedly gave Mortensen a "constant push" to the door of her house as he was holding their son.

Dakota Mortensen, Taylor Frankie Paul's other investigations

On March 24,NBC News reportedpolice in West Jordan, Utah, were investigatingMortensen's new allegationsagainst Paul of a domestic violence incident in 2024, which he'd contacted police about in February. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office also declined to pursue charges based on unspecified evidence submitted for screening by the West Jordan Police Department.

Some reported incidents "occurred more than three years ago" and are barred by the two-year statute of limitations. More recent alleged incidents "do not rise to the level of criminal offenses," the office said in its April 14 statement.

In February 2023, Paul was arrested on misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief, and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child, according topolice. Paul entered a plea of abeyance to a felony aggravated assault charge following an alleged domestic violence incident involving Mortensen.

People,KSL.com,and theSalt Lake Tribunereported that while the other criminal charges were dropped, the aggravated assault charge will reportedly remain for a three-year probationary period until Paul meets the conditions of her agreement with the court.

(This story was updated to include new information.)

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’sNational Sexual Assault Hotlineoffers free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and Spanish via chat and at 800-656-4673.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Taylor Frankie Paul, Dakota Mortensen police reports detail fight

byJastin Mags

in

April 18, 2026

Taylor Frankie Paul, Dakota Mortensen share conflicting assault claims

Editor's note: This story contains graphic descriptions and video that some readers may find disturbing. More details are eme...

Read More