Jessi And Whitney On Season 3 Of 'The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives' – And *That* Cliffhanger

Graziadaily

a day ago

No strangers to scandal, the influencers who make up #MomTok, a group of Mormon women who broke the internet after posting about a swinging scandal in the friendship group, were always destined for reality TV greatness. In less than a year they have gone from relatively niche social media stars to fully fledged celebrities recognised around the world. This is, of course, thanks to the overnight success of their Disney+ show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
The first season premiered in September with an immediate second season commissioned, filmed and ready to air by May. It left fans with a lot of unanswered questions – not least because season two ended on the mother of all cliffhangers. In a reality TV metaverse maze, Vanderpump Rules star Marciano Brunette confessed to Mayci Neeley that it wasn't Demi Engemann he had a secret affair with but her best friend (now enemy?), Jessi Ngatikaura. The latter was not able to defend herself during the finale, so fans await the reunion episode on 1 July with bated breath.
'You know, months before it came out, I was aware of the situation and the reality of it, but I can't say much until the next season comes out' Jessi, who has been married to Jordan Ngatikaura since 2020, tells us. 'All I will say is there's so much more to that story than what was said at the finale. I'm looking forward to showing a little more vulnerability with the viewers and having them see a little more about my relationship and my life. I'm hoping someone can relate to it. I'm going to be pretty open and honest.'
We don't know yet how the allegations have affected her relationship with Mayci, but her friendship with Demi was already hanging by a thread. In season two, Jessi confessed that she's tired of being Demi's lap dog, as viewers witnessed Demi comfortably move into the role of the show's new #MomTok villain.
'We're not like what we used to be,' reveals Jessi. 'I do feel like we've had a chance to talk through some things and after seeing season two, I think a lot of people can reflect on how they acted and put things into perspective. I would just hope that, as co-workers, we can be cordial. We were best friends at one point, but it just won't be what it was.' Adding, 'I'd rather that than have an enemy. It's draining!'
In the Mormon wives circle, the term 'friendship' is a loose one. Like most successful reality TV shows, TSLMW is hinged on fallouts, showdowns and scandal. Whitney Leavitt knows this better than any of them. After season one aired, she formally left the group (and the group chat) and took to social media to claim she was given the 'villain edit'. Unsurprisingly given the show's success, she made a bold return in season two and has been passively voted back into the friendship group, even if she's not been added to the group chat yet.
'First of all, can we ban the voting?' she jokes when we speak. 'I said it as a joke and then people took it a little bit too seriously. It was like 'you can be here, but I don't really want you here'. I don't really know how to take that.' Of course, she is referring most specifically to Mikayla Matthews, who firmly voted against her re-initiation.
Regardless of awkward dynamics, being part of #MomTok is a lucrative prospect. It might involve some turmoil in their personal lives and a relentless stream of speculation on social media, but it has turned their circle into a profitable business. How have their lives changed in the past year? Whitney is not shy to answer first. 'Financially, the fame, the opportunities, the people we've met, it's all drastically changed. In my experience watching, most TV shows take a few seasons to gain traction and catch on and we had an overnight hit.'
'We've been thrown into success,' she continues, 'which is such a blessing, and we know how lucky we are. We do not take that for granted.' Demi agrees: 'There's been a few moments when I'm recognised in another country and it's a "woah" moment, but I hope it never goes to our heads. That's when it gets dangerous.'
What hasn't changed, however, is their collective commitment to the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints – even if it is characteristically unconventional. 'Some portrayals (of the Church) are fair and accurate, but others resort to stereotypes or gross misinterpretations that are in poor taste and have real-life consequences for people of faith,' the Church said in a statement about the Disney+ show.
'I mean, I don't really care, just because I know that my intentions are good,' Whitney responds. 'I'm not going to bash the church. None of us are, and none of us are wanting to represent the church. We're just sharing our lives and all of us happen to have a little bit of Mormonism in that.'
'Even if our show wasn't called what it was, if it was just a reality show set in Utah, then it would come up regardless because it's so apart of the culture and it's so saturated there,' adds Jessi.
Regardless of the church's disapproval, #MomTok has done a lot to challenge some of the more harmful and sexist stereotypes of Mormon culture. This was perhaps most prevalent in the breakdown of Jen and Zac's relationship in season one. 'Not every marriage in the church is like this,' says Jessi, 'but some are more traditional where the man has the priesthood and is the head of the household and sometimes there's a power dynamic there. Jen and Zac really broke that open and I think Zack learned from it, which is great, and he's working on himself and she's working on things too.'
'I think it showed that it can be a little bit like that in the church and we're trying to show that it's okay to be breadwinners and moms at the same time, and to go after our dreams and also be housewives,' she continues. 'I think we're just kind of showing you can have it all.'
Naturally, the #MomTok husbands have caught on. In the recent season we saw the fumbling origins of #DadTok, not yet a convincing rival of the original. Will this take off more in season three? 'I think we're always, obviously the focus,' Jessi laughs. 'But it shows the husbands support what we do now and understand it a little more. We're a legit business.'
But both reality stars promise that viewers will have their most pressing questions answered in season three (and perhaps the reunion too). Jessi, for her part, says season three felt 'very different' and 'crazy' to film compared with the past two seasons. 'There were so many moving parts and answers and speculations. It was like putting a puzzle piece together, so I'm excited to see how people like it.'
The season two reunion special of The Secret Wives of Mormon Wives airs on Hulu and Disney+ on 1 July.