The 'Mormon Wives' cast is fighting over pay. Here's the drama explained and why Whitney thinks they might not always be paid equally.
" The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" cast broke the fourth wall in season two when arguments about pay spilled onscreen.
The reality show, which follows a group of unconventional Mormon-adjacent TikTok influencers known as MomTokers, was one of Hulu's biggest new hits of 2024. The immediate success led to the streamer renewing the show for 20 episodes in October 2024 — more than double the length of season one.
In season two, episode six, the cast revealed that negotiations for the second season led to an argument where Demi asked for Jessi to be kicked off the show to boost her and their castmates' pay packets.
This surprised fans and the other cast members since Demi and Jessi were close friends up until that moment.
Whitney, another cast member, told Business Insider on May 20 that the cast are currently paid equally for starring in the show, but suggested that there could be more conversations "down the line."
Here's what to know about the cast's pay and how it led to Jessi and Demi's fallout.
Jessi said Demi wanted an 'absurd' amount of money
On May 20, Jessi told the "Viall Files" podcast that Demi's attempt to kick her off the show was the "catalyst" for the end of the friendship.
In the episode, Jessi said that the argument began during a call with the cast, their managers, and lawyers as they devised a plan to negotiate higher pay for season two before season one aired.
Jessi said she joined the call and heard Demi's husband, Bret, tell the cast to quit the show if they didn't get the salary he and his wife wanted. Jessi said she responded by saying she didn't want to quit, which she said angered Bret and Demi.
"She basically threw me under the bus because I didn't care to fight for more money, and she wanted an absurd amount of money," Jessi said, without stating how much Bret and Demi wanted.
Jessi said after the initial call, Demi called the other cast members to say Jessi should be kicked off the show so they could earn more money.
Mikayla, Jessi's costar who appeared on the same "Viall Files" episode, also said that the amount Demi requested was too much, adding that the cast did not know how successful the show would be.
Mikayla added that Demi told cast members that Jessi had "no morals, no values."
Whitney and Layla told Business Insider that the cast eventually decided to be paid equally for season two.
Explaining how the show's cast is paid, Whitney said: "it is equal and I think maybe more seasons down the line, we'll have more conversations about it because I think just naturally more people are being filmed more than others."
Demi and Jessi's fallout shows the struggles of mixing business with friendship
Demi and Jessi made up before filming season two, but the started to show when Jessi learned that Demi told their costar, Taylor, not to get her hair done at Jessi's hair salon, JZ Styles, and criticized her business.
Demi said she was repeating criticism from others and that she didn't do anything wrong.
Jessi said the final straw was when Demi kept criticizing her for not supporting her in various arguments.
"I was just like 'I'm not doing this pattern where I have to beg for your love if I'm not doing exactly what you want,'" Jessi said.
Demi told "Viall Files" on May 15 that the fallout was just a "misunderstanding" that could be resolved, but she said Jessi refused to talk with her off-camera.
The arguments are a problem for a show built around the idea that the cast are supportive, close friends.
Any rifts that might make viewers question how genuine their friendship is could affect brand deals that the MomTokers get and the success of the show.
Jessi and Demi have re-followed each other on Instagram, which could mean they are rebuilding their friendship.
A representative for Demi and Bret did not immediately respond to a comment request from Business Insider.
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