Dakota Mortensen and Shinia Powell have taken their relationship public with a romantic mountain getaway, marking a new chapter following months of on-screen drama on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
Powell shared multiple photographs from the couple's trip to Island Park, Idaho, on Saturday, August 8, via Instagram. The images captured intimate moments between the pair, including a kiss on a mountaintop overlook and affectionate embraces against scenic outdoor backdrops.
"Soaking up our last bit of summer," Powell, who is 33 years old, wrote in the caption accompanying the photos. The post featured the couple smiling broadly as they enjoyed their time together in the Idaho wilderness.
The relationship between Mortensen and Powell first attracted public attention in July when the two were photographed together at a baseball game in Utah. However, their connection predates that sighting, having originated during season 4 of Mormon Wives when Mortensen was navigating a complicated relationship with Taylor Frankie Paul.
Powell appeared on the Hulu series as a friend of Miranda McWhorter, who is herself connected to Paul. The entanglement created significant tension among the cast members, particularly given the history between Paul and McWhorter stemming from their 2021 soft-swinging scandal.
During a FaceTime conversation featured on the show, Mortensen, 33, addressed his involvement with Powell directly with Paul, who is 32. The exchange highlighted the complications his choices created within the friend group.
"I do just want to say sorry for everything that I did. I know that caused a lot of problems," Mortensen said during the call. "I'm sorry for hooking up with Shinia. Was it dumb of me? Yes. Could I have picked someone else? Yes. I picked somebody that was obviously going to come with problems, and that was very s***y of me to do."
The situation placed McWhorter, 28, in a difficult position as she attempted to rebuild her friendship with Paul while maintaining her connection to Powell. Speaking to Us Weekly in March, McWhorter explained the complexity of navigating these relationships.
"I think the Taylor and Dakota of it all was definitely a contributing factor, especially since I was very vocal about how her pursuing that relationship would affect her and would affect me," McWhorter told Us Weekly exclusively. "It felt like it was just blatantly disregarded on multiple occasions. Also, I understood where Taylor was coming from with her frustration as well. As things continue to play out, I think other things unfolded, and it just made that decision easier."
McWhorter ultimately chose to support Paul when faced with what she described as an ultimatum, though she expressed frustration with being placed in that position.
"Taylor giving me an ultimatum on choosing her or Shinia is frustrating because I'm not your partner and I'm not your child. I'm your friend," McWhorter said in a season 4 confessional. "And I'm pretty sure that Taylor is not going to like my decision from where I'm standing right now."
The relationship between Paul and Mortensen has since ended definitively. The former couple, who welcomed their son Ever in 2024, separated earlier this year following multiple domestic violence accusations. Both parties denied the allegations, and Utah police opted not to file charges.
The custody situation involving Ever, who is 2 years old, became contentious during the breakup. Paul temporarily lost custody but has since been granted visitation rights by a judge. She also has two children from her previous marriage to Tate Paul: Indy, 8, and Ocean, 6.
With Mortensen and Powell now publicly displaying their relationship on social media, the couple appears to be moving forward together as summer draws to a close. Their Idaho getaway signals a fresh start following the turbulent period documented on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
