The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jessi Draper got brutally honest about her affair scandal with Marciano Brunette — and had some choice words for ex Jordan Ngatikaura.
“Having an affair on-camera definitely shook up my life a little bit,” Jessi, 34, told Vulture in an interview published on Monday, May 4. “But I hope to inspire, and learn from my mistakes, and hopefully let people know that everyone does make mistakes and it’s OK.”
Jessi pointed to her emotional connection with Marciano, 31, as the one thing she would “change” about her time on reality TV, adding, “I definitely wouldn’t want to do that again, especially publicly. Definitely a huge mistake.”
She continued: “I have a hard time crying and showing emotion. I’ve been a little better at it recently, but I feel like it’s really hard to do that and be vulnerable on-camera. Sometimes people don’t understand that the emotion runs deeper than what’s shown.”
Jordan, 31, and Jessi, who share kids Jagger, 5, and Jovi, 2, faced various obstacles in their relationship. Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives documented the aftermath of Jessi’s emotional affair with Marciano, which she initially denied before coming clean.
“We had been dealing with the affair for about six months behind closed doors. No one knew. During those six months, it got worse than it ever had. He was blackmailing me. He was threatening to send my texts to Marciano out to the world,” Jessi said on “The Viall Files” podcast in November 2025, claiming that it was addressed on the show but didn’t make the final edit. “Anytime I did anything he didn’t agree with, he had it on his TikTok drafts and he was like, ‘I’m going to post it.’”
Jessi continued: “It was so toxic. I remember the day I left him, it got to a point where he was recording me and he’s taunting me and I was chasing him around the house. We were just screaming at each other. It was so bad.”
Marciano, meanwhile, weighed in on both Jessi and Jordan’s claims about their issues.
“When you’re told something, obviously I was very sympathetic to Jessi. But seeing it is way different,” he told Us Weekly in December 2025. “I think just seeing it all in general, I was like, ‘Oh, now I can really understand what you guys were going through.’ It’s a really difficult situation and it was tough to watch. I felt like I obviously played a huge hand and not making it look good for either of them. Hence why I’ve since said I live with regret by doing that.”
Marciano acknowledged that he would be “very triggering” for Jordan, adding, “It’s always going to be salt in the wound for him. If he’s willing to overcome it then I think he knows I’m open to it. Because I have told him that he’s a really good dude. At least to me, he’s a really nice guy. I like him a lot.”
He concluded: “So I never say never. I’ve come to terms with it, but I hope [we can mend things]. I would really like to because all the DadTok guys are awesome.”
News broke in March that Jordan filed for divorce from Jessi after five years of marriage. (He also filed a restraining order that was denied.)
“This has not been an easy decision and it comes with a heavy heart,” Jordan told Us in a statement. “I’m grateful for the shared memories and the lessons. While our paths are now moving in different directions, my priority remains my children and ensuring they feel loved, supported, and protected through this transition.”
The statement continued: “I am committed to handling this next chapter with kindness and respect. I kindly ask for privacy and understanding as we navigate this as a family.”
In her interview with Vulture, Jessi referred to Jordan as the “villain” on the show. She also hinted at how their dynamic would play out in season 5, which has resumed filming after a pause due to Taylor Frankie Paul’s legal issues.
“I have had a lot happen in my life since we were last filming, and I’m a completely different person,” Jessi added. “So I’m hoping to pick back up soon and we can show all of that.
