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    Mormon Wives’ Zac Affleck Admits to “Mistakes” in Jen Affleck Marriage

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    Watch: ‘Mormon Wives’ Star Zac Affleck Breaks Silence on Jen Affleck Divorce Amid Her Pregnancy

    Zac Affleck is still coming to terms with Jen Affleck‘s decision.

    The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star shared what led to the end of their seven-year marriage, admitting he “begged” Jen to stay when she first brought up divorce a year ago and was surprised to learn she officially submitted paperwork on Nov. 3. 

    “I found out from a TMZ reporter about the filing,” Zac shared in a Nov. 5 TikTok. “But regardless of that, this is something we’ve been talking about for a long time. Jen came to me about a year ago, after Dancing With the Stars, and told me she was unhappy and wanted a divorce. And I basically begged her to stay, told her work on things, fix things, become whoever she needed me to be.” 

    During that time, Jen became pregnant with their fourth child.

    But now that the reality star—with whom he also shares kids Nora, 5, Luca, 3, and Penelope, 16 months—is moving forward with the divorce, Zac said he wanted to “shut down any narratives” about the split.

    “I don’t want anyone speaking bad about Jen,” he continued. “I’ll be the first to say I’ve made plenty of mistakes in our marriage, and it just really was time for for us to go our own ways. We got married so young, and it sucks because I really did feel like we had something pretty special when we got married.”

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    But after tying the knot in Newport Beach, Calif., in 2019, the 30-year-old said “life happened” and they grew apart.

    “We had four kids. We signed up for reality TV on a show that’s really hurt a lot of people’s lives,” Zac noted. “Marriage is hard. Having your marriage in the public is hard. Raising kids is hard. And I think slowly over time we lost that spark.”

    Mason Cameron/Disney via Getty Images

    While he said “these last couple years have taken a pretty massive toll,” the reality star shared that he hopes he can now turn his attention toward new career goals, such as re-enrolling in medical school, starting a business or pursuing a PhD. 

    Most of all, Zac said he’s committed to having a “healthy” coparenting relationship with Jen as she prepares to give birth.

    “That’s really my priorities,” he shared. “I feel like probably the thing that’s eating me alive the most is I feel like I failed my kids, and I’m worried that I’m going to cause them damage. And I just hope that we can still give them a normal childhood, but as far as that goes, Jen and I are definitely on the same page of wanting to give them the best the best life we can.”

    For a closer look at more couples from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, keep reading.

    TikTok/@taylorfrankiepaul

    Taylor Frankie Paul & Dakota Mortensen: Broken UpWhile Taylor Frankie Paul‘s romance with Dakota Mortensen—they welcomed son Ever in 2024—bloomed on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, they called it quits due to Dakota’s infidelity. “Right after Ever was born, Dakota and I were living together and in bliss with our new baby, and I was even considering engagement,” Taylor—who began dating the real estate agent in July 2022—revealed during the season two premiere of the Hulu series. “And then I learned that he was lying this entire time.”Taylor was told by a woman named Jenna that she and Dakota had been intimate and he had “spent the night more than once.” (He has denied the claims, writing in a September 2024 TikTok that he “never cheated.”)On the series, Taylor said that Dakota accused Jenna of instigating their affair.”No, it was him,” she emphasized in the confessional. “He said he had just kissed her on the couch. No, he went on the couch, they hooked up on the couch, and then they went to the room and they hooked up.”

    Dakota Mortensen/Instagram

    Since ending her romance with the Basin Tiling founder, the mom of three (she shares two kids with ex-husband Tate Paul) was set to find love once again on season 22 of The Bachelorette, but things got a bit thorny when news broke in March 2026 of an alleged confrontation between the exes weeks earlier. A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department confirmed to People that there was an open “domestic assault investigation,” telling the outlet “allegations have been made in both directions.”Days later, a video of a previous 2023 physical altercation between Taylor and Dakota surfaced online, prompting ABC to cancel the MomToker’s season of the dating franchise.As for Dakota, he has kicked off a romance with show guest star Shinia Powell, though he previously apologized to Taylor for hooking up with her during a season four episode. 

    Tibrina Hobson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

    Whitney Leavitt & Connor Leavitt: MarriedWhitney Leavitt found the perfect dance partner in Connor Leavitt, whom she wed in 2016. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for the couple—who share kids Sedona, Liam and Billy—as they navigated life in the spotlight. For instance, the Dancing With the Stars alum, who announced during her Broadway run in May 2026 that she’d be leaving Mormon Wives, had to shut down rumors about her husband’s sexuality.”Do I need to put out a sex tape, or something? Like, trust me,” she said on the Off the Vine podcast in October 2024. “We’re good. Everything’s fine.””I think it’s because when we were going through our personal stuff—and I know you haven’t seen it—but he struggled through a porn addiction,” she explained. “There’s a scene where one of my friends says something along the lines of how they could see how he was confused sexually.”Through the ups and downs, the reality star emphasized that she and Connor—who were 23 and 22, respectively, when they got married—are stronger than ever. In fact, they even renewed their vows in February 2026 for their 10th wedding anniversary.”We got married really young,” Conner told Brides after their ceremony. “It felt like our wedding day, as much as it was for us, it really felt like it was for our families. So we really want to do something to make it ours, and this felt like a really fun way to do it.”

    Disney/Fred Hayes

    Jen Affleck & Zac Affleck: DivorcingMarried in 2019, Jen Affleck and Zac Affleck—no relation to Ben Affleck, despite jokes to the contrary—have been at the center of breakup rumors since SLOMW‘s debut. In fact, their fight after Jen attended a Chippendales striptease show in Las Vegas became a focal point of the first season. The couple—who share kids Nora, Penelope and Lucas—made up, however, and the Dancing With the Stars contestant later defended their relationship.”It can be tiring and draining, just because it gets old having to hear the same things,” Jen told E! News of the speculations in November 2025. “For me, I’m like, ‘People will always talk and people will always have their opinions.’ I think it is frustrating for him when people don’t see what’s happening behind closed doors and how much work and effort he’s putting in.”But while Jen announced in June 2026 that she’d be adding to their dance troupe with baby No. 4, the MomToker filed for divorce that November after seven years of marriage. 

    Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Disney

    Jessi Draper & Jordan Ngatikaura: DivorcedBumps in Jessi Draper and Jordan Ngatikaura‘s five-year marriage emerged after the hairstylist admitted to having an emotional affair with Vanderpump Villa‘s Marciano Brunette, though initially it appeared they were working towards smoother roads.”We are back together,” Jessi—who shares kids Jagger and Jovi with Jordan—told E! News in November 2025. “We’re trying to work on it. Relationships are not perfect. I think a situation like ours—it’s going to take time. It’s not going to something that’s just amazing overnight.”Sadly, the reconciliation appeared to be short-lived, with Jordan also dad to daughter Peyton from a previous relationship, filing for divorce in March 2026 after five years of marriage.However, days later, Jessi said she was “blindsided” by his filing and accused him of rushing to submit the paperwork because “he wanted the headline first.”Admitting that her “heart sunk” seeing the news, she explained, “because we agreed to tell our children together before filing and we haven’t done that.” (E! reached out to attorneys for Jordan for comment but haven’t heard back.)Though Jessi told E! News that she was “just casually dating and living life,” when she brought Marciano as her date to the 2026 American Music Awards in May 2026, he revealed a tattoo dedicated to her that August. Jessi and Jordan finalized their divorce in September 2026.

    Instagram/Mayci Neeley

    Mayci Neeley & Jacob Neeley: MarriedMayci didn’t expect to find love with Jacob Neeley. In fact, after the unexpected death of her boyfriend Arik Mack in 2015, when she was just 14 weeks pregnant with their son Hudson, she was prepared to be a single mom. But it all changed when she met Jacob in 2016 at age 21, whom she would marry two years later.”After everything I’d been through, I was very guarded, but Jacob was kind and we got on really well,” Mayci said in her memoir Told You So. “For a long time, we remained just friends and because we weren’t really dating, I was OK with him meeting my son.””Jacob was amazing with him, which made him appear even more attractive,” she continued. “I was terrified of getting hurt again but, after four months, I couldn’t deny my feelings any longer. He was kind and funny and made me feel safe.”Mayci and Jacob went on to welcome daughters Harlow in 2021 and Charli in 2025.

    Demi Engemann/Instagram

    Demi Engemann & Bret Engemann: MarriedDemi Engemann and her husband Bret Engemann tied the knot in 2021, one year after she and Blake Corbin divorced. As the couple’s relationship played out on the reality show, their sexual explorations became a major plot point after Whitney gifted Demi a box of Fruity Pebbles.The truth behind the joke gift wasn’t revealed until Jessi shared on Instagram in November 2025 that “grandpa Bret likes to drink her piss like it’s dirty soda and he gulps it down like water.”But Demi and Bret aren’t crying over spilled secrets—or pee. In fact, she told Entertainment Tonightthat December that she and Bret “have nothing else left to do other than own it and have fun with it.”Although their sex life raised eyebrows, the couple has been embracing life with their blended family. While Demi shares daughter Maude with her ex, Bret is dad to his and The Real Housewives of Salt Lake CityalumAngie Harrington‘s sons Rome and Cole.”I’ve never seen a dad so involved or love their kids harder, the most devoted step-dad to Maude, and future father to our own children one day,” Demi wrote on Instagram in June 2024. “Your ability to remain consistently loyal to your role as father/step-father while navigating all that life throws your way, will never cease to amaze me!”

    Mikayla Matthews/Instagram

    Mikayla Matthews & Jace Terry: SeparatedMikayla Matthews and Jace Terry have been through it all together. WhileThe reality star first met Jace in 2015 when she was 15 and they welcomed their first son Beckham two years later. Since then, the couple—who tied the knot in 2018—welcomed kids Haven, Tommie and Lottie.While Mikayla and Jace have been loving life with their four kids, Mikayla admitted that she hopes to grow their family even further.”When people ask me how many kids I want, I’m like, ‘I’ve always wanted three or four, but I could see myself having six,'” she told People in February 2025. “I’m excited to hopefully move into a new house. I want a big lot for my herd of kids.”However, Mikayla confirmed in the ninth episode of the show’s fourth season that she and Jace were taking time apart amid ongoing intimacy struggles.As Mikayla began unpacking her trauma surrounding years of sexual abuse as a teen, as well as her chronic illness—which causes flare-ups due to heightened stress—their marriage had been deeply affected.”I think it’s hard anytime you bring up the stuff with the sex or the intimacy,” she admitted to Jace. “I feel like it’s hard on me ’cause I feel like, again, my nervous system’s already in fight or flight and I’m already maxed out. My bucket is full.”

    Layla Taylor/Instagram

    Layla Taylor & Clayton Wessel: DivorcedAfter Layla Taylorand Clayton Wessel—who are parents to sons Oliver and Maxwell—divorced in 2023, the reality star teased her new romance with Mason McWhorter in July 2025.Their relationship was a bit complicated on paper. Hang with us: Mason’s brother is Chase McWhorter, the ex-husband of Layla’s costar Miranda McWhorter. But the pair had been willing to put their romance to the test.”Right now, I’m kind of scared of marriage but I just want to get to know somebody very well before I even consider that,” Layla told Us in November 2025. “I’m just happy and content where me and Mason are. And if somehow that ever were to come up, then we would see.”Unfortunately, the mom of two confirmed that she and Mason had split in February 2026.”I think we were just on two different paths right now, and he felt in order for him to grow, he had to be on his own,” Layla shared. “I respect his decision, and I truly hope that he gets what he wants in life.”As for Layla, who came out as bisexual in June 2026, she soft-launched her romance with a mystery woman a month later in an Instagram video. She later seemed to confirm her relationship with Colorado-based content creator Kelsie Chesser.

    Miranda McWhorter/Instagram

    Miranda McWhorter & Chase McWhorter: DivorcedAlthough Miranda is a newer addition to The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, joining in season two, she played a major role in the infamous MomTok “soft swinging scandal.” Despite the situation with Taylor,Miranda revealed that drama wasn’t the reason for her 2024 divorce from Chase.”The reasons why we decided to split were things that were issues far before that,” she explained on the Weekly Trash podcast in August 2024. “That might not have helped, for sure, but it definitely did not play a part in the decision process.”Nonetheless, she and Chase have been committed to parenting their kids Brooks and Cohen.”With co-parenting, you’re always having to work on it,” she reflected. “The thing is that if we got along perfectly all the time and it was just rainbows and butterflies, we probably wouldn’t have gotten divorced.””The thing with him and I,” she continued, “we’ve always had a pretty good foundation of a friendship prior to even having a romantic relationship. I feel like that’s something that set us up for some level of success when it comes to co-parenting.”

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