‘Vanderpump Villa’ Season 3 to edit out Dakota Mortensen’s storyline and the reason makes total sense
Content Warning: This article includes references to alleged domestic violence and disturbing incidents. Reader discretion is advised.
Hulu’s reality series ‘Vanderpump Villa’ is making a noticeable change ahead of its next season, and it comes at a time when off-screen headlines are getting harder to ignore. According to Variety, the streaming platform has decided to remove Dakota Mortensen from upcoming episodes, even though he had already filmed for Season 3. Mortensen, who has been a familiar face on ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’, is currently tied to an ongoing domestic violence investigation in Utah involving his former partner, Taylor Frankie Paul. The situation has already caused ripple effects across multiple projects connected to both.
In fact, the situation became impossible to ignore when ABC abruptly pulled a planned season of ‘The Bachelorette’ just days before it was supposed to premiere on March 22. Taylor Frankie Paul had been set as the lead for that season. The decision came after a clip from a 2023 incident involving Paul and Mortensen surfaced online, bringing renewed attention to their history. The video, released by TMZ, shows a heated moment where Paul throws a bar stool that ends up hitting her young daughter. As of now, there’s still no clear answer on whether that season will ever see the light of day. Meanwhile, ‘Vanderpump Villa’, led by Lisa Vanderpump, is continuing with its rollout. The show, which follows staff members and guests at lavish European properties, is set to return on April 16.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Frankie Paul repeatedly attacked Dakota Mortensen during the 2023 incident in which she pled guilty to aggravated assault; video shows that one of her children was struck during the fight.
— TMZ (@TMZ) March 19, 2026
Trigger Warning. https://t.co/77CKYpLxvn pic.twitter.com/avr49EacY3
Mortensen had been among a group of guests appearing in the new season. His presence, however, is now being reduced or removed entirely in the final cut. Exactly how the editing will work is still a question. That said, Vanderpump herself suggested that his involvement was not central enough to disrupt the overall storyline. In comments shared with PEOPLE, she explained that he “didn't really have a big storyline” and that his removal “hasn't affected the story.” She also made it clear that, “We don’t want to shine a spotlight on something that’s been so controversial when we have so much great content. Our show’s ready to go. Obviously, we don't want to do anything extraordinarily significant at this stage in the game, but it's ready to go.”
Meanwhile, the backlash surrounding Mortensen’s involvement has not been limited to ‘Vanderpump Villa’. He is also expected to appear in an upcoming YouTube reality project titled ‘Unwell Winter Games’, produced by Alex Cooper’s Unwell brand. That show, too, has faced criticism online, with some viewers questioning the decision to include him given the circumstances. Moreover, production on Season 5 of ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ has been paused while the situation is being reviewed, leaving the future of both Paul and Mortensen on that show uncertain. Currently, authorities in Draper City, Utah, are also looking into another reported incident between the two that allegedly occurred in late February. According to local police statements, the investigation includes claims from both sides, and no conclusions have been announced yet.
