Two stories from the world of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” landed on the same day, and they pull in opposite directions: one star’s marriage is ending, while another is getting a show of her own. Here is what Variety and Deadline reported on Wednesday, November 4.
Jen Affleck files for divorce
Variety reported that Jen Affleck filed for divorce from Zac Affleck on Tuesday after seven years of marriage, according to court documents obtained by People. The couple met in 2018, got engaged and married the following year. They share three children, Nora, Luca and Penelope, and are currently expecting their fourth.
Jen has been a major presence in the Hulu reality series across all five seasons, and Variety noted that the couple’s marital issues, both financial and emotional, have played out on screen. Back in August, Jen told People that “there’s a lot that we’ve been navigating behind closed doors” while pregnant with their fourth child. “It’s been a lot the past couple of months, I’ll be honest,” she said at the time, adding that she felt she was “seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Neither the court filing nor the reporting gives further detail, and it is worth remembering that this is a family going through a private change in public view. Anything beyond what the documents and Jen’s own statements show is speculation.
The timing: a spinoff arrives November 12
The news comes ahead of the premiere of Hulu’s spinoff, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County,” which debuts on November 12. Jen stars in it. According to Deadline, the Orange County cast also includes McCall DaPron (the sister of Mayci Neeley), Bobbi Althoff, Aspyn Ovard, Avery Woods, Salomé Andrea, Ashleigh Pease and Madison Bontempo.
Variety noted that the Affleck family relocated from Utah to Orange County in recent years, which is the setting for the new series. Three former cast members, Taylor Frankie Paul, Mikayla Matthews and Whitney Leavitt, have since left the original show.
Whitney Leavitt gets her own Hulu show
Speaking of Leavitt, Deadline reported exclusively that she is back in business with Hulu, six months after announcing her departure from the main series. The streamer has greenlit an untitled show in which she will star and produce. It comes from “Mormon Wives” producer Jeff Jenkins Productions, 3BMG and Leavitt Media House.
The series will reportedly follow “firebrand Whitney Leavitt and her family as they navigate her newfound fame and career ambitions while always putting family first.” Leavitt announced her exit from the hit show in May during her final performance as Roxie Hart in the Broadway musical “Chicago.” She appeared in season five, and the original series has since been renewed for another 20 episodes without her.
Leavitt’s profile has grown well beyond reality TV. According to Deadline, she finished sixth on season 34 of “Dancing with the Stars” alongside Mark Ballas and recently made her feature film debut in the holiday rom-com “All for Love,” which she also executive produced. Next month she returns to Broadway to star in the jukebox musical “Just in Time.”
What it says about the franchise
Put together, the two stories show how far the “Mormon Wives” universe has stretched. What began as a single Hulu series in 2024 now includes a spinoff, an upcoming solo show for a departed star, and a cast that keeps evolving. Hulu is, in Deadline’s words, “further expanding the Mormon Wives universe.”
What to watch next
- November 12: the premiere of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County” on Hulu.
- Details on Leavitt’s series: the show is untitled, and no premiere date has been reported.
- Any further filings or statements: only what the court documents and the people involved say should be treated as confirmed.
We will update as more is reported.
Image: Gold wedding ring by A Minty Penguin via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
