Getty PicturesFrom allegations of infidelity to swinging scandals, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives presents a glance right into a model of Mormon life far faraway from conventional public notion.
Set in suburban Utah, the TV collection follows a bunch of Mormon girls – most of whom rose to fame on TikTok and have become MomTok influencers – as they handle scandals, confront marital breakdowns and conflict over the whole lot from enterprise ventures to get together invites.
However beneath the sensational plotlines is a extra complicated story in regards to the evolving dynamics inside a tight-knit group.
The group of Mormon moms have been making content material on-line for the previous 5 years however say the idea of actuality TV nonetheless feels very new to them.
“I’ve heard that finally folks learn to play the truth TV recreation however that is not us but, we’re nonetheless making an attempt to determine it out,” Jessi Ngatikaura tells the BBC. “So that you’re attending to see the actual us.”
Getty PicturesWhat began off as a pastime has now change into a job and the ladies communicate brazenly on the present in regards to the amount of cash they make from actuality TV and model offers.
“It’s completely our job now however we selected this and we may all stroll away any time if we did not wish to be a part of it,” Jessi says.
Whitney Leavitt explains that “naturally dynamics will change when there’s more cash and household concerned and undoubtedly some folks get aggressive” however reassures me the group are nonetheless mates off digital camera.
Throughout the 2 seasons of the present, Jessi and Whitney have had difficult storylines play out – Whitney is offered because the villain in season one and on the finish of season two it’s alleged Jessi has had an affair.
The pair communicate candidly in regards to the impression having your life watched and commented on by tens of millions of individuals worldwide has had on them.
Getty Pictures“It has been exhausting coming to phrases with the actual fact we now have no management over the narrative and you do not ever actually recover from it,” Whitney explains. “However it’s a must to settle for that and let it go.”
Because the present follows the lives of 9 mates, it is easy to see how a few of them might create extra drama for themselves with a purpose to assure some display screen time however Jessi insists that is not the case and nobody “performs up however naturally feelings are heightened”.
“We’re truly recording 4 or 5 days every week so we do not know what’s going to make the ultimate edit.”
Jessi says her explosive Halloween get together was not manufactured by producers and there’s simply “naturally a lot drama that we needn’t create extra only for the present”.
‘Numerous resentment’
Given the depth of drama and filming calls for, the presence of sturdy aftercare is important and each girls reward the manufacturing for its obligation of care requirements.
“There are all the time therapists readily available and at first I used to be like why are Taylor and Jen having remedy on a regular basis and now I am having 5 or 6 hours of it every week,” Jessi confesses. “I’ve discovered it is helpful even in case you’re not going by way of a tough time.”
Whitney additionally accessed some aftercare in season one after being offered because the villain of the present.
“It completely sucked being the villain and I used to be offended, had a whole lot of resentment and was actually unhappy. There have been so many overwhelming feelings for me however I used to be proud that as an alternative of working away I stayed and had these exhausting conversations I did not wish to have,” Whitney says.
Whitney was one of many members of the MomTok group that Taylor Frankie Paul publicly revealed was concerned in “gentle swinging”, one thing she denies and triggered a rift to kind of their friendship.
Getty PicturesThe open discussions round intercourse, marital affairs and alcohol on the present has triggered some backlash from the Mormon church.
“When the primary trailer got here on the market was some backlash from the church as a result of they had been scared however truly we’re exhibiting you the way we reside the Mormon life and all of us reside it in another way,” Whitney says.
Jessi provides the docudrama exhibits how “we’re all regular and on a regular basis women, not folks carrying bonnets and churning butter such as you may suppose”.
The ladies say that not solely has the church come to simply accept the present, they’re additionally serving to younger girls take into consideration their religion in another way.
“We have undoubtedly influenced folks to query their religion, dive deeper into it or be extra trustworthy about it and I’ve had messages from some folks saying that they are becoming a member of the church due to me,” Jessi says.
Whereas their faith performs an necessary a part of their life, they’re eager to inform me that they aren’t the face of Mormonism.
“There are Mormons who nonetheless get upset about it however we’re simply exhibiting our model of it and I feel that is empowering as hopefully folks can relate to our tales and struggles.”
