Credit: Disney/Bahareh Ritter
Taylor Frankie Paul‘s rep is firing back at a leaked clip of her attacking her former boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen.
Following her canceled appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and after Disney pulled the plug on her upcoming season of The Bachelorette, Taylor’s rep downplayed the seriousness of the disturbing video, as Dakota, 33, filed for a restraining order against her and requested full custody of their two-year-old son, Ever.
“It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child,” Taylor’s rep said in a statement to PEOPLE on March 19. “Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences.”
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that NBC canceled Taylor’s Tonight Show appearance before the clip was leaked, which was filmed in 2023 and saw Taylor kicking, hitting, and attacking Dakota with chairs as her then-five-year-old daughter, Indy, sat crying nearby and was nearly injured amid the altercation. Disney then announced the cancellation of her Bachelorette season after the clip was shared.
“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” a spokesperson stated.
Following the cancellation of her Bachelorette season, Taylor issued a new statement alleging she has been the victim of years of abuse.
“Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm,” said her rep.
They continued, “There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives. Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.”
Amid the fallout, Us Weekly reported on March 19 that Dakota had filed for a restraining order against Taylor, signaling “chaotic” and “frightening” incidents on February 23 and February 24 and claiming Taylor was “emotionally volatile.”
Specifically speaking of their encounter on February 24, Dakota alleged, “I was unable to safely leave while this was happening, and my child had been left inside the home during the chaos under her watch due to our custody agreement. [I am] genuinely concerned for my safety and the safety and well-being of my child.”
Regarding custody of Ever, Dakota requested a temporary order be put in place and asked that Taylor be banned from drinking or using drugs during her time with the child.
A court hearing has been set for April 7.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Secret Lives of Mormon Wives had been put on pause amid filming on its fifth season due to an altercation between Taylor and Dakota. And in the days that followed, it was alleged that Taylor had choked Dakota and ripped off a necklace he was wearing during an encounter in February. It was also noted that a second incident had taken place the following day, and that Dakota had accused Taylor of being abusive towards their child.
The Bachelorette season 22 was supposed to premiere this Sunday on ABC.