‘Mormon Wives’ Star Accused of Leaking Friend’s Affair to Producers for Raise, Claims Fellow Hulu Cast Member
A fresh wave of controversy has erupted around Hulu’s hit reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, after cast member Marciano Brunette alleged that Demi Engemann deliberately leaked details of former best friend Jessi Ngatikaura’s affair to producers in an effort to negotiate a higher salary.
Brunette made the explosive accusations during an exclusive on-camera interview with The U.S. Sun, insisting that Engemann attempted to profit from the scandal even at the expense of her friend.
Marciano, 32, who appeared as a guest on the popular franchise, claimed that Engemann, 30, intentionally revealed private information about Jessi’s rumored affair to production staff while she was reportedly in contract negotiations with Hulu.
According to his statements, Engemann hoped that a heightened storyline involving infidelity would secure her a more lucrative deal ahead of the show’s next season.
The reality star explained that he initially became close with the cast when they visited Lisa Vanderpump’s villa in Italy during the summer of 2024, while filming Vanderpump Villa for Hulu.
Shortly after filming wrapped, Marciano said he spent time with Ngatikaura in Los Angeles, where the two shared a kiss and, according to Jessi, continued an “emotional affair.”
Marciano admitted that he later told friends he had actually slept with Jessi — a claim he now says was untrue and exaggerated under pressure.
“I did lie,” he acknowledged in the interview. “But I felt pressured by Demi.”
He went on to explain that once the rumors began circulating among cast members, he and Engemann temporarily stopped speaking. However, after reconnecting, he said Engemann immediately pushed him to recount the incident in detail.
“She wanted the whole story,” Marciano said. “I told her I didn’t want to talk about it, but she kept pushing. Eventually I explained what happened, but I never told her we had sex. That was not true.”
Marciano said Engemann promised to keep the conversation private but later took the information directly to the production team without telling him.
Alleged Plan Backfired
According to Marciano, Engemann was actively negotiating her contract at the time and believed the storyline — involving Jessi allegedly cheating on her husband Jordan — would strengthen her position.
“It didn’t work out for her,” he said. “Instead of giving her more money, they just called me and brought me in.”
Marciano also claimed Engemann told production that he had confirmed having sex with Jessi, intensifying the fallout. He now feels manipulated.
“I just felt heavily influenced by her,” he said. “She knew I cared about her and used that against me. I can’t believe I listened to someone like that.”
Earlier this week, Jessi appeared to support Marciano’s account, posting online: “Demi’s upset that I’m outing her bedroom activities when she took my affair to production to leverage more money?”
Regrets and Legal Tensions
Marciano expressed remorse for contributing to damage within Jessi’s marriage.
“I knew it would be hurtful and I didn’t want that to happen,” he said. “I had to own that and take accountability.”
He previously told The U.S. Sun he plans to pursue legal action against Engemann after she accused him of sexually assaulting her during the Italy trip — allegations he strongly denies.
Lisa Vanderpump publicly stated that if anything inappropriate had occurred, it would have been caught on camera. Hulu has not commented on the dispute.
Meanwhile, fans have speculated that Engemann may have quietly exited the show following backlash, as she has been noticeably absent from recent cast activity.
Show Renewed for Season Four
Despite the drama, Hulu officially renewed The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives for a fourth season this week. The series, which launched in 2024, follows a circle of Mormon and ex-Mormon social media influencers navigating faith, friendships, marriage, and scandal.
Season 3 Main Cast
- Taylor Frankie Paul — well-known for the viral MomTok “soft swinging” scandal
- Jen Affleck — the most traditional practicing Mormon in the group
- Demi Engemann — recently cast as the season’s villain amid cheating controversies
- Jessi Ngatikaura — ex-Mormon influencer tied to affair storyline
- Layla Taylor — single mother involved in last season’s love triangle
- Miranda McWhorter — MomTok co-founder recently rejoining the circle
- Mikayla Matthews — original MomToker whose journey began as a teen mom
- Mayci Neeley — active believer but critical of outdated cultural rules
Season 4 premiere details are expected to be announced soon.