‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star Jessi Ngatikaura reacts to Demi Engemann skipping the reunion: ‘Everyone needed answers'
The 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star, 33, admitted she was 'really annoyed' that her co-star Demi Engemann skipped the Season 2 reunion.
'I was frustrated because we all were told of the date weeks in advance and we just had to make it work. It's our job,' Ngatikaura exclusively told The Post while promoting her partnership with RumChata.
12 Jessi Ngatikaura on 'Good Day New York' on May 13, 2025.
Getty Images
'I was actually teaching a hair class that weekend and I had 60 students who had flown in mostly from out of state to learn from me, and I had to have someone else teach the class and I have a lot of people disappointed and wanting money back,' the hair stylist explained. 'So for me, I had to make a big sacrifice. So I was really annoyed that she wasn't there, especially because she was one that everyone needed answers from.'
12 Demi Engemann at the 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Season 2 premiere on May 9.
/ SplashNews.com
12 The 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' cast at the Season 2 reunion.
Disney
Ngatikaura continued, 'But I will say, everyone has different situations and whether she wanted to be there or not, it's what happened. And I do think that fans are going to see that you will hear from her at the reunion in a roundabout way and you still will get answers.'
After falling out with most of the other 'MomTok' members during Season 2 of the hit Hulu series, Engemann, 30, did not attend the reunion that was hosted by Nick Viall and will air July 1.
12 Jessi Ngatikaura in her interview with The Post.
Earlier this month, Engemann claimed during an Instagram Q&A that she didn't participate in the reunion because she was in Disneyland with her family.
12 Demi Engemann at the 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Season 2 premiere.
Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
'We had already booked all of our flights and the Airbnb was nonrefundable or we would've moved the trip to be there,' she told her followers. 'I tried to have production move it to another day and they couldn't swing it sadly.'
In Engemann's absence, Ngatikaura told the Post that Whitney Leavitt was in the hot seat for most of the reunion.
12 Whitney Leavitt, Jessi Ngatikaura on 'This Morning' in London in May 2025.
Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
'A lot of that [is] because she was probably Demi's only defender,' Ngatikaura shared. 'She was the only one standing up for Demi when all of us were kind of going against it. And Whitney also has a history with the group of, like, coming and going and coming and going, and that was happening in real time. So I think we were all just kind of frustrated with her. But I do think by the end of the day, we got some resolution.'
12 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' stars Jennifer Affleck, Jessi Ngatikaura, Mikayla Mathews, Mayci Neeley, Demi Engemann, Layla Wessel, Taylor Frankie Paul and Whitney Leavitt.
©Hulu/Courtesy Everett Collection
Ngatikaura further teased that the cast — which also includes Taylor Frankie Paul, Jen Affleck, Mikayla Matthews, Mayci Neeley, Layla Taylor and Miranda McWhorter — aired everything out during the reunion.
'I feel like we all had a chance to really hash it out and say our opinions and say as much as we could say,' Ngatikaura told The Post. 'So I feel really confident that watching the reunion, audience members are gonna get a lot of answers and resolution, but also breadcrumbs for what's gonna come.'
12 Jessi Ngatikaura attends The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives x Club Soda takeover.
Alan Chapman/for Disney+
During the Season 2 finale, Marciano Brunette from 'Vanderpump Villa' denied he had an affair with Engemann and claimed that he slept with Ngatikaura, who has been married to her husband Jordan since 2020.
Ngatikaura told The Post that she found out about Brunette's wild claims while filming the next season.
'I think two months before it aired is when I found out about it, because it was going on in real time, like it was all coming out and things were being said,' she noted. 'Luckily we were filming, so you guys will see all of that unravel.'
12 Jessi Ngatikaura in an Instagram photo.
_justjessiiii/Instagram
'So I had a couple months to prepare for that ending, which was really great, but I knew it happened,' the Hulu star continued. 'But seeing it was so different, like I didn't realize exactly what he said about me and how he said it. So I was really upset and it was really hard to see.'
Ngatikaura added that she's 'excited' for fans to watch the reunion and the next season of the show to see how she handles the situation with Brunette.
12 Miranda, Jessi and Layla attend Hulu's Go Real House.
Getty Images
'It's a whole story. There's so much more than what he said, and it's not all accurate how he put it,' Ngatikaura insisted. 'So it's really good because I feel like it's going to give me a chance to tell my story. And this next season I'm going to be more vulnerable than I've ever been.'
Ngatikaura has struggled with not being able to speak out about the drama on the show.
'As social media influencers in the past, if there was a scandal or drama, we can just go address it online, right?' she said. 'But now we have certain things we can and can't say, and we are filming and you don't wanna ruin the story of what's coming out.'
12 Whitney Leavitt and Jessi Ngatikaura on 'This Morning.'
Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
'So that's probably been the hardest part for sure for me,' Ngatikaura added. 'But I'm like, okay, just a few more months and then more will be revealed. I just have to be patient.'
When asked how her husband has handled Brunette's claims, Ngatikaura told The Post that 'it's been a learning experience' for the couple.
12 Jessi Ngatikaura attends Hulu's Get Real House on April 22, 2025.
Getty Images
'I think that reality TV is not easy on any relationship, friendship, anything like that,' she said. 'So it's been a bit of a roller coaster that you're going to see coming up. But overall, he understands that this is my job and this is what I chose to do. And he's supportive of that.'
'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' reunion airs July 1 on Hulu.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Brad Pitt's Mom Jane Etta Pitt Dead At 84
Brad Pitt's Mom Jane Etta Pitt Dead At 84 originally appeared on Parade. Brad Pitt is mourning the loss of his mother, Jane Etta Pitt, who has passed away at the age of 84. Sources close to the family confirmed to TMZ on Wednesday, August 6, that Jane died within the past couple of days. One of Jane's granddaughters, Sidney Pitt, also posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram. 'My sweet Grammy, Jane Etta, we were not ready for you to go yet but knowing you are finally free to sing, dance, and paint again makes it a tad easier.,' Sidney began her caption. She elaborated on how her 'Grammy' taught her strength, how to paint, and kindness. She told childhood stories, and how her grandmother believed in 'doing good simply because it was the right thing to do.' Brad, 60, was said to be especially tight with his mother, often crediting her as the emotional cornerstone of their family. Jane worked as a family counselor and generally stayed out of the public eye, though she did attend several red carpets along with Brad's father, William Pitt, to support her son throughout his career. Jane shared a decades-long love story with her husband that began at Oklahoma Baptist University, where the two first met, according to PEOPLE. They tied the knot in 1962 and welcomed Brad soon after. The young family eventually moved from Oklahoma to Tulsa before settling in Springfield, Missouri — the city where Brad and his younger siblings, Doug and Julie, would grow up. In addition to her husband and three children, Jane also leaves behind 14 grandchildren. At this time, her cause of death is unknown. Brad Pitt's Mom Jane Etta Pitt Dead At 84 first appeared on Parade on Aug 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Celine Dion's fierce defence of son is a lesson in handling 'unwanted advice'
Celine Dion, 57, is a singing icon, but at home her most important role is being mum to her three sons, René-Charles, 24, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 14. The star showed the extent of a mother's love when she fiercely defended her eldest son in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, which has now resurfaced online. Re-shared this year by Instagram fan account, @celinedionfashion, the clip showed Celine being interviewed by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and things took a turn when Ellen asked when she was going to cut off her son's long hair. "Do you have a problem with that?" was Celine's speedy response. "Whatever I will do, I won't please everyone," she quipped, and also went on to reveal that "Rene-Charles makes his own decisions." MORE TO READ Celine Dion opens up about how her three sons have privately dealt with her health battle Fans praised how Celine handled the situation with one writing: "Celine did that with style, education and respect! She's amazing!" and another adding: "Do you have a problem with that? Put Ellen in place right there." A third penned: "Sooooo classy! So admirable, Céline!" and a fourth added: "Glad Ellen is not on TV anymore; she was not kind." Mum-of-one Features Editor, Miranda Thompson, shares her experience on unsolicited advice about children. "When it comes to unwanted advice about my son, I have to always try to remember people think they're being helpful, not malicious, and that it's likely they're trying to offer their own support in their own way. If it really winds me up, I'll take a deep breath and vent to a mum chat later!" she says. Celine shares her sons with late music producer René Angélil, who sadly passed away in 2003. On Father's Day, Celine shared a heartfelt message to her late husband. "You may no longer be by our side, but your love lives within us. You taught our boys to be kind, to believe in who they are, and to take care of one another. That's the greatest gift of all." Celine's health Celine has been plagued with health battles in recent years. In 2022, she revealed her Stiff-Person Syndrome diagnosis. The rare neurological disorder causes painful spasms and mobility issues. She first began experiencing symptoms in 2008, but it took years to get properly diagnosed. In July 2024, she made her triumphant return to the stage at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony, performing live from the Eiffel Tower, after having to cancel many shows ahead of that. René-Charles was on hand to cheer and support his mom in Paris on this very special occasion, and he was visibly emotional. In a backstage clip, Celine's son was seen wiping away tears after his mother's spectacular showing as a crew member rubs his shoulder for support. Upon her return, Celine then pulls her son into a tight hug as they both lean into the emotional embrace. Where does Celine Dion live? The hitmaker traded living in an actual waterpark for a luxurious $1.2 million mansion when she started her Vegas residency – and she's been living there ever since. Over the years, we've seen glimpses inside her beautifully decorated abode where everything is immaculately tidied and super luxurious.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Why Ice Cube's ‘War of the Worlds' Has a 0% Rotten Tomatoes Score: ‘Hilariously Awful' and ‘Generationally Bad'
The H. G. Wells adaptation, starring the rapper and taking place entirely on screens, was panned on social media, too Move over, Steven Spielberg. There's a new 'War of the Worlds' in town. Actually, you're probably fine. More from TheWrap Disney+, Hulu Swing to Combined Third Quarter Profit of $346 Million Francis Ford Coppola Assures Fans He's 'Fine' After Being Hospitalized in Rome: 'I Am Well' 'Weapons' Review: Zach Cregger's Chiller Asks Scary Questions (Too Bad About the Answers) Francis Ford Coppola Hospitalized in Rome After Scheduled Cardiology Visit A new adaptation of H. G. Wells' seminal sci-fi classic 'The War of the Worlds' released on Amazon Prime in late July, making waves on social media for all the wrong reasons. The movie takes place entirely on various screens, following Ice Cube's Will Radford (a surveillance expert for the Department of Homeland Security) as he witnesses the alien invasion from his computer. It currently sits at 0% on Rotten Tomatoes with 14 reviews. The audience score, with more than a thousand reviews, is a mere 14%. Many have latched onto a text card in the film's trailer that reads, 'IT'S WORSE THAN YOU THINK' as a sign of the movie's quality (or lack thereof). The trailer itself, which released in mid-July, became a mini online phenomenon for its bizarre tease of the screenlife adaptation. You can watch it below. 'YOU ARE YOUR DATA,' one text card in the trailer reads. 'DATA IS THEIR FOOD. YOU ARE THE HARVEST,' two more text cards follow. It's not dissimilar to the cadence found in an 'I Think You Should Leave Sketch' where Tim Robinson proclaims, 'The bones are the skeletons' money. In our world, bones equal dollars.' Things picked up once the movie itself began streaming on Amazon Prime, with scores of social media users dogpiling the latest adaptation of the sci-fi classic. 'I can't believe this is real,' one X user posted. Others mocked the film's frequent Amazon product placement, including a scene where 'Prime Air' saves the day. 'It's the future of delivery,' one character says. You can see the reactions below. 'War of the Worlds' (2025) was directed by Rich Lee and written by Kenneth A. Golde and Marc Hyman. Alongside Ice Cube, the film stars Eva Longoria, Clark Gregg, Andrea Savage, Henry Hunter Hall, Iman Benson, Devon Bostick, Michael O'Neill and Jim Meskimen. This adaptation isn't without precedent. The 'screenlife' genre has continued to develop over the past few years, with movies set entirely on computers and phones as a method of conveying the story. Pre-pandemic entries in the genre include 'Searching' and 'Unfriended,' while post-pandemic screenlife films include 'Host' and 'Missing.' H. G. Wells' novel also has a history of distinct adaptations. Steven Speilberg famously took a big-budget sci-fi approach, centering the story on a working class man trying to keep his children safe among the invasion. In 1938, Orson Welles, in contrast, helmed and narrated a radio production of the story on Halloween night, infamously causing a panic among some viewers who believed the story to be real. The post Why Ice Cube's 'War of the Worlds' Has a 0% Rotten Tomatoes Score: 'Hilariously Awful' and 'Generationally Bad' appeared first on TheWrap.
