When The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered on Hulu, viewers couldn't tell Jessi Ngatikaura and Demi Engemann apart - and now the costars are in a full-fledged feud. The hit reality series debuted in September 2024 and introduced Us to Utah content creators otherwise known as MomTok. Jessi, 33, and Demi, 30, were both part of the friend group but were initially closer than some of the other members. By the time season 2 aired in early 2025, Jessi and Demi acknowledged a falling out that took place behind the scenes. They hinted that contract negotiations led to Demi asking for more money, which caused tension for some of the other cast members. "Demi and I did have a falling out a couple of months ago. It really rocked our friendship," Jessi shared in a season 2 confessional, which aired in May 2025. "We had a little disagreement about money." 'Mormon Wives' Couples Status Check: Who Is Still Together? Who Broke Up? The drama continued when Taylor Frankie Paul claimed Demi insulted Jessi's hair salon, JZ Styles. Demi denied the accusations, and ultimately the duo rekindled their friendship. That is until they took a trip to Italy to film season 2 of Hulu's Vanderpump Villa. Demi's surprising friendship with Marciano Brunette left her costars with questions due to her marriage to Bret Engemann. Demi maintained that nothing romantic took place and then accused Marciano, 32, of sexual misconduct, which he has denied. It was Jessi who subsequently revealed that she had a two-month emotional affair with Marciano. Jessi also claimed that Marciano was pushed to air out their secret romance by Demi, who allegedly leaked the information to producers to make sure it got addressed on screen. From there, Jessi and Demi's feud truly exploded as they traded insults back and forth. Jessi took it one step further in November 2025 when she finally revealed details about Demi and Bret's secret sex act that came up in season 1. "It's very telling that [Jessi is] choosing to break story line and bring it up now, only after her own affair has come to light," Demi wrote via Instagram at the time. "This is nothing more than a desperate attempt to shift attention away from her own behavior." With The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives renewed for season 4, this mess is just the beginning. Keep scrolling for a comprehensive explainer on the feud - including the fruity pebbles of it all: What Was Demi and Jessi's Friendship Like Before 'Mormon Wives'? When The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered in 2024, Demi and Jessi were in a good place. They often sided with one another while facing off with other members of MomTok, which was mainly Whitney Leavitt at the time. What Originated the Feud? Hulu Season 2 offered a different glimpse into Demi and Jessi's dynamic. Demi was the first one to speak up on "The Viall Files" podcast in June 2025 when she revealed they were at odds while "negotiating contracts for season 2." "We had had, like, a mutual understanding that we were gonna come in fighting for everything as a united front," Demi claimed, referring to a joint phone call with network executives. "Then, [my husband, Bret, and I] felt like she dogged us and went around us, like, 'I'm gonna get whatever I want.' So, we were like, 'Well, f*** it, then we're gonna do the same thing.' It's not a shock that I'm a fan favorite [after the first season]. I feel, like, I'm an asset [and] I should fight for more." Demi was divided on whether she would reconcile with Jessi. "If you had a friend, where you've hurt each other and then that person decides to completely remove themselves from your life and block you on everything, do you feel like it's your place to go knocking down their door?" Demi shared. "It's almost, kind of, if the conversation were to naturally happen, sure, [and] now I know how to take full accountability." She concluded: "I don't think I'd go knocking down her door necessarily to be, like, 'Wait, hold on.'" How Did JZ Styles Drama Make It Worse? Later in season 2, Taylor told Jessi that Demi advised her against going to Jessi's salon to get her hair done. "She doesn't think you're good at hair," Taylor said. "She told me not to go to you for hair and that's why I went to a different salon because she doesn't think you're good at all." Taylor then turned to Demi and added, "You don't think she's good at hair but you feel obligated to go to her." Demi then clarified that JZ Salon is "great at extensions" but didn't know how good they were at "color." Jessi explained that she was hurt by Demi's comments after regularly giving her - and their other costars - free extensions and hair treatments. Off screen, Jessi told Page Six that her relationship with Demi was permanently damaged. "Yeah, it's done," she said about Demi's actions being "unforgivable" to her. "I'll never be friends with her again. And I'm a pretty forgiving person. So, it's a lot for me to say that." Which 'Mormon Wives' Are Friends - And Which Are Feuding - A
Us Weekly
Why Are Mormon Wives' Jessi, Demi Feuding? Fruity Pebbles Drama Explained
November 26, 2025
1 months ago
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