Taylor Frankie Paul Faces New Friction as Dakota Mortensen Dates Co-Star

Mortensen and Powell reportedly grew close as friends, with sources describing their transition into a relationship as a source of support for Mortensen during his ongoing legal disputes with Paul. The pair shares a son, Ever, and their current custody proceedings involve a petition from Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services seeking protective supervision for Paul’s children. The filing alleges the children may be abused, neglected, or dependent, adding significant weight to the couple's private separation.

Simultaneously, Paul’s standing among her castmates remains precarious. Following a series of social media unfollowings involving Miranda Hope and Layla Taylor, as well as a public clash with Whitney Leavitt, Paul has faced sharp criticism from co-star Mikayla Matthews. Matthews accused Paul of manipulating fans and attempting to claim sole credit for the success of their collective platform. While Paul issued a statement on July 12 attributing her recent outbursts to overwhelming personal stressors and feelings of exclusion, the entrance of Mortensen’s new partner into the show’s orbit threatens to reignite the tensions she claims to be moving past.