A newly surfaced video appears to show reality TV personality Taylor Frankie Paul physically attacking her former partner, Dakota Mortensen, during a 2023 incident that occurred in front of her young daughter. Shortly after it surfaced, a Disney spokesperson confirmed that the network would no longer move forward with the upcoming season of “The Bachelorette,” which was set to premiere Sunday.
The footage, published Thursday by TMZ, shows Paul pushing, kicking and throwing objects at Mortensen while he repeatedly asks her to stop, saying, “let me go.” The video does not capture what led up to the altercation.
“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 Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson said.
According to court documents, the incident led to Paul’s arrest in 2023. She was charged with assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child. Records indicate she later pleaded guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault in August 2025, while the remaining charges were dismissed with prejudice.
The video appears to show Paul throwing multiple barstools at Mortensen while her daughter, who had been lying on a nearby couch, can be heard crying. As objects are hurled, Mortensen can be heard saying, “This is called physical abuse,” and warning Paul, “Your daughter is right here.”
Details from the incident are echoed in a 2023 indictment, which states that Paul’s daughter was struck in the head with a metal chair and “heard crying after being hit with the stool.” The filing also describes injuries to Mortensen, including “redness and swelling around his eyes, swelling on his elbow, scratches on his fingers, and a laceration on his neck.”
In a follow-up report cited in the indictment, an officer was told the child later had a “goose egg on her head, which was painful.” An affidavit of probable cause also notes that when officers arrived at the scene, one officer observed Paul “lunge” at Mortensen and physically strike him.
Paul has disputed the characterization of events through a spokesperson, who described the video’s release as part of a broader pattern of harassment.
The spokesperson said the footage is the “latest installment of [Mortensen’s] never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child.”
“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.”
Paul also addressed the situation directly in a phone interview with NBC News following the video’s release, stating, “I will have my truth.”
In a previously filed March 2023 mental health assessment, Paul said the altercation occurred after a night of drinking at a friend’s home, where she “drank from vodka,” however, she did “not recall exactly how much.” She told evaluators she had been experiencing emotional distress related to her divorce and a recent ectopic pregnancy.
According to the assessment, Paul said she did not remember much after returning home, but later learned from the incident report that she “grabbed three bar stools and threw them in her boyfriend’s direction.”
“Both of the children were sleeping, her son was upstairs in his room, and her daughter was asleep on the couch downstairs (where the incident occurred),” the assessment states. “Ms. Paul reported that her daughter woke up after or during the altercation (and she reported that she checked to make sure her daughter was ok).”
The report further notes that Paul said she did not observe signs that her daughter had been struck. However, that account conflicts with the criminal indictment, which states the child was hit.
As part of the case, the assessment recommended that Paul attend a parenting class to “learn to manage stress and anxiety around her children,” as well as a “Prime for Life Class to get some information/education about alcohol and its side effects and consequences.”
It also notes that Paul was seeing a therapist regularly, who described her as “an intermediate problem drinker,” and documented “borderline anxiety” and a “mild level of depression.” Court records show she completed the recommended courses.
Separately, Mortensen filed for a protective order against Paul on Thursday through his attorney, but the petition was returned as incomplete, according to Salt Lake County District Court records.
There are currently no public allegations against Mortensen. However, Paul’s spokesperson stated, “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.”
“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,” the spokesperson said. “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.”
Mortensen responded in a statement to Us Weekly.
“As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation. I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.”
Attention has also turned to more recent allegations involving the pair. Multiple sources told NBC News there is an “ongoing investigation” into a separate domestic violence allegation involving Paul and Mortensen.
The West Jordan Police Department confirmed it had received a domestic violence allegation involving Paul but did not disclose specifics, including the date or potential charges. A spokesperson said detectives are working to establish the facts.
The Draper Police Department previously told People magazine that there is an open “domestic assault investigation” and that “allegations have been made in both directions,” with contact made with involved parties on Feb. 24 and 25.
The situation has also affected production of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” the Hulu reality series that brought both Paul and Mortensen into the public eye. Police bodycam footage from Paul’s 2023 arrest was previously featured in the show’s first episode.
Sources familiar with the production said filming has been halted amid the allegations, with one source stating that the cast unanimously agreed to take a break.
“This is one of many videos that we have seen that led us to choose to pause filming,” a cast member told NBC News on Thursday.
A separate source close to Paul said she had been attempting to manage the situation privately due to concerns about its impact on her children and family, while focusing on her upcoming role on “The Bachelorette.” That effort has now been overtaken by the public release of the video and the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the case.
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
