There was trouble in paradise for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Zac and Jen Affleck. During the first season of the show, viewers were welcomed into the home and lives of the Afflecks. Relation to Ben? We’ll get to that. The couple’s first big scene involved their baby blessing, an event that caused a bit of a splintering within the group. But after a trip to Sin City, the Saints and Sinners rallied behind Jen following Zac’s brutal emotional attack on his wife. But after filming the hit series, where do they stand now?
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is the hit new series on Hulu that follows the aftermath of the “soft-swinging” sex scandal that rocked #MomTok. Documenting the lives of eight women, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wivescasts a light on the world of influencers in this tight-knit group. From cheating accusations to shocking revelations, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been a gripping and addictive series, leaving viewers eager for more stories.
Who Are Zac and Jen Affleck?
After learning a bit about the drama following Taylor Frankie Paul‘s viral admission, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives began to go a bit more in-depth into the lives of the other women. When it came to Jen Affleck, her journey into the season’s drama began when she included some of the wives and uninviting some of the others to her child’s baby blessing. She used her husband, Zac Affleck, as the crutch to lean on, partially putting the blame on his shoulders. This event broke up the girls in MomTok into the Sinners and Saints. But despite sticking to her guns, Jen Affleck became a breakout character — mostly because of how the show relentlessly reminded us of her surname, which would be seen in the chyron for each confessional.
Part of her draw was the unique fact that Jen Affleck was closely related to Ben Affleck. On the show, she revealed that her husband was first cousin once removed to Ben and Casey Affleck. But as time has gone by, the truth of the relation has been called into question. Eager sleuths have searched for the truth and uncovered that, perhaps, Zac’s father is not indeed the cousin of Ben and Casey. Nevertheless, there was more to Jen Affleck’s story on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
Viewers were clued into Zac’s very religious family when they met them at the baby blessing ceremony. It was one of the rare glimpses that depicted religion in action on the show. His displeasure with some of Jen’s friend’s actions, including drinking and drugs, prevented the full group from being included in the personal family event. Instead, it caused a rift between the women, and illuminated the rift in their marriage. Was Jen Affleck beholden to her husband? Was he unable to cope with her growing rise in fame? Certainly, some of her friends had opinions.
Zac and Jen’s relationship began as two individuals from two very different worlds. In a recent Instagram post, Affleck wrote, “We were just kids when we got married. Young, naive, and inexperienced, we truly had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Coming from completely different backgrounds, families, and upbringings, it didn’t seem to make sense. We were polar opposites.” The post went on to share about how, in marriages, you have to keep trying, and after the first season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, it’s evident why Affleck might make this pointed post. To put it into context, the pair began dating in 2018 after meeting on a dating app for Mormons known as Mutual. They married a year later and began building their family.
Did Zac Make Jen Leave MomTok After ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’?
When the cameras follow your every move, there are very few places to hide. For Zac and Jen Affleck, they learned that the hard way. Jen Affleck’s storyline came to a peak during the “girls’ trip” to Las Vegas. Although it was meant to only be a women-only trip, Zac Affleck and Dakota Mortensen were also in Sin City, using the excuse of Taylor Frankie Paul’s pregnancy. When Jessi Ngatikaura surprised the girls with a trip to Chippendales — VIP backstage tour included — it almost marked the end for the Afflecks. He was ready to kick Jen out of the house and divorce, which led to an incredibly tearful Jen leaving Vegas to fix things with Zac. It made the girls skeptical about his hold on his wife.
In the shocking reveal in the finale, Jen shared that Zac wanted her to leave MomTok as he didn’t want her associated with that group any longer. With Zac getting into medical school in New York, the couple was already at a crossroads in their marriage as Jen, who is the monetary provider, was worried about her own business opportunities with MomTok. With enough time between the filming of the series, the couple shared that they have moved past their issues. Since filming, the couple have been doing non-stop therapy in hopes of keeping their relationship from falling apart. In an interview with Vulture, Affleck shared, “If we continue in our relationship, there are changes that need to be made. If they’re not made, we might have to … look at other options. But as of right now, I do think he’s trying his best to make those changes.”
Between ultimatums and gambling on the part of Zac, the pair have had a rocky relationship that needed work. While they both have stated the show helped them as it allowed them to step back and look at their relationship, Jen continues to reiterate that she’s ready to move past everything. Publicly, they seem as if they’re able to make their marriage work. And of course, fans would love nothing more than to see a happy ending if Zac does the work. But, what was seen on screen has caused Jen Affleck to go on defense and protect her husband and her marriage. Thankfully, she’s still got her fellow wives of MomTok by her side. So what happens next with the Afflecks now that their famous name has seen a new light? Time will tell when a potential Season 2 for Jen comes to fruition. That is, if she doesn’t leave MomTok
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S. (and Disney+ abroad).
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