Reality television personality Mikayla Matthews has escalated her public dispute with costar Taylor Frankie Paul, issuing detailed commentary about their fractured friendship and defending her actions amid accusations of being unsupportive during difficult times.
Matthews, 26, who stars in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, posted extensive comments on Sunday, May 10, in response to Paul labeling her a "snake friend" on social media. The reality star addressed the ongoing drama in the comments section of a fan video discussing the feud between the two women.
"Could probably write a book on everything I've had to say on this. Nothing I said denied that she's experienced pain, trauma, or difficult things, there's literally no question about that," Matthews wrote. "Two things can be true. Someone can be hurting and still hurt people around them in the process."
The reality star emphasized that she never wanted to see Paul "fail, suffer, or be canceled," but rather sought to distance herself from what she characterized as a harmful pattern. Matthews explained that her decision was "about no longer wanting to publicly participate in or normalize a cycle that was affecting everyone around it, especially where children and repeated violence were involved."
Matthews took particular issue with Paul's characterization of their friendship, defending the support she and others provided over the years. She detailed specific instances where she and other friends invested significant time and energy supporting Paul through challenging situations.
"What also won't fly with me is the bad friends and snake friends narrative. Especially when so many of us spent years putting genuine care, time, energy, and emotional labor into trying to support her through incredibly toxic situations," Matthews wrote. "Like the weeks that we took away from our newborn stage, not even months postpartum, but weeks postpartum To check in on her and support her journey going on The Bachelorette, even though we knew she wasn't taking it seriously and she wasn't ready to go on it."
Matthews also highlighted her own personal struggles, noting that she recently confirmed her separation from husband Jace Terry during season 4 of Mormon Wives. The mother of four subsequently relocated to Hawaii to address her ongoing chronic illness battle. Matthews, who shares four children with Terry, 30, argued that she and other friends sacrificed their own wellbeing to support Paul.
"To take years out of our lives, time away from our families, from our own mental sanity, from our own healing, from many of our own 'Mother's Day' moments, to put a friend and their trauma first out of genuine friendship and care, just to have it diminished and shat on while it gets chalked up to an attitude of 'I can do what I want and say whatever I want' while it is hurting people around them is toxic and destructive behavior," Matthews stated. "Compassion cannot only exist when it benefits one person."
Despite the public confrontation, Matthews maintained that she harbors no ill will toward her former friend and wishes her well. "I have not once attacked her character or tried to tear her down the way everyone so badly want people to believe I have," she explained. "If anything, I've consistently acknowledged that she loves her kids and that she has a good heart and I want nothing more than for her to be happy and healed."
The conflict between the costars intensified earlier this month when fans accused Matthews of failing to support Paul and fellow cast member Jessi Draper during their respective difficulties. Paul has faced multiple legal issues stemming from domestic disputes with her ex Dakota Mortensen. A judge granted protective orders to both parties last month, and Paul currently does not have custody of the pair's 2-year-old son, Ever. Paul is also mother to daughter Indy and son Ocean from her previous marriage to ex-husband Tate Paul.
Draper is navigating her own divorce from estranged husband Jordan Ngatikaura, who filed for divorce in March. Ngatikaura, 31, and Draper share children Jagger and Jovi.
On Saturday, May 9, Matthews initially addressed criticism about her level of support for her costars. "I have felt absolutely sick to my stomach and horrible for what everyone involved must be feeling and going through," Matthews wrote. "However, it is not my job to enable poor or dangerous behavior from either party, especially when children are involved. That doesn't mean I don't love them or want the best for their individual futures. It just means I cannot sit here and pretend it's OK that years of destructive behavior are now being discussed more than ever online and turned into a 'pick a side' game."
Paul responded the following day on Sunday with sharp criticism of Matthews, invoking the significance of Mother's Day to justify her comments. "It's Mother's Day so I'll say whatever I want. As if it's not already the worst time. I have STILL have 'friends' kicking me while I'm already down and calling it 'setting a boundary' and then BLAMES ME for being upset and responding," Paul wrote. "That's called shaming and attack while I had a moment to breathe and she knew that."
Paul continued her criticism, stating: "Not once have [I] called myself a 'victim' but I'm HUMAN and have breaking points. What a snake friend just did to me in the public eye after everything she just witnessed … the lack of empathy and silence was loud enough."
The public dispute highlights the complex dynamics among the cast members of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, as personal struggles and professional relationships collide in the public sphere. Both women continue to navigate significant life challenges while their friendship deteriorates under public scrutiny.
