Layla Taylor, born on March 12, 2001, has taken the internet by storm with her TikTok-worthy, relatable mom content. Now, Taylor’s not just scrolling through your feed but lighting up the screen as one of the stars of Hulu’s latest hit, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Premiering on September 6, the show explores the lives of eight young moms, including Mikayla Matthews, dealing with breakups in the tight-knit world of Mormonism.
But behind all the cameras, drama, and online commentary, what’s the real deal with the show’s youngest star? What’s life like for Layla when the spotlight’s off?
Was A Flyer in Her High School Cheerleading Team
During her time at American Leadership Academy – Queen Creek Jr. High-High School, Layla was the flyer for the school’s cheerleading team. She had a tight-knit bond with her fellow cheerleaders and often supported the football team, cheering them on at Friday Night Lights and celebrating their victories.
On
these boys KILLED it last night!! proud coach :,)
Family Struggles and a Rocky Marriage Added to Her Battles With Anxiety and Depression
On September 8, 2024, Taylor opened up in a TikTok video about her lifelong struggle with mental health issues that began in her early years. She even said, “I attempted to take my life, inflicted self-harm on myself throughout high school. I dealt with a lot of things growing up in my life that I kinda mentioned a little briefly on my show.”
She traces the roots of her distress back to her childhood, which was full of strained family relationships. “I’m not in good contact with any of my family and a lot of things I dealt with in my childhood, contributed to my poor mental health,” Taylor explained.
Her emotional well-being was further destabilized by her marriage to her ex-husband, Clayton Wessel. She married Wessel at 19, a common age for marriage within the Mormon lifestyle, and together they have two children: Oliver Clay Wessel, born on July 14, 2021, and Maxwell Dean Wessel, born in August 2022.
Their marriage ended in August 2023, and Layla has since been open about the broader impact of divorce within her faith. She noted,
Divorce isn’t something that’s encouraged in our church. We’re definitely taught to keep our families together. Families are forever. It’s not something that I think they love, but I’m all for and I’m an advocate for making yourself happy.
Even during the production of her reality show, her struggles continued, often leaving her feeling muted. She found solace in silence amid the chaos of filming.
Speaks Out for the Diversity of Mormon Women
Layla has already found herself tangled in the show’s controversies, especially as the buzz around the infamous Soft Swing scandal flared up again. Critics were quick to question her integrity, hinting that her Mormon values might not align with the scandalous headlines that were circling.
In a response to the backlash, Layla took a stand in an interview with Toofab, advocating for a broader understanding of Mormon beliefs. She emphasized,
Hopefully people watch the show and they see that there’s different representations in the church. I think that’s the one fear with a lot of members right now is that they are afraid that we are misrepresenting them and people in the outside world will perceive Mormon women specifically as a certain way. But if anything we’re showing that Mormon women are all different level of faith, all different looks and that’s okay. So, hopefully people perceive that pretty well.
Got Plastic Surgery to “Feel Hot Again” and Has No Regrets
Since stepping into the spotlight with The Secret Lives of The Mormon Wives, the emerging reality TV star has openly shared every detail of her cosmetic enhancements.
During a lively chat on Page Six’s Virtual Reali-Tea podcast, Layla revealed undergoing six procedures in just four months, including a boob job, tummy tuck, rhinoplasty, chin filler, lip filler, and Botox. Explaining her reasons with refreshing honesty, Layla said, “I had my kids young and love my babies to death, but they screwed up my body and I wanted to feel hot again.”
