Whitney Leavitt leaves “The Secret Life of Mormon Wives.”
The reality star announced the news during her final performance of “Chicago” on Sunday. Leavitt has played tap-dancing assassin Roxie Hart in the Broadway revival since February. TMZ posted video of the moment, in which a Broadway castmate shows Leavitt a newspaper mid-scene. Leavitt, in character as Hart, points to the headline and reads aloud: “Whitney Leavitt Announces She's Leaving 'The Secret Life of Mormon Wives.'” The audience can be heard shouting and cheering.
Leavitt followed up the big reveal with an Instagram video on Tuesday morning, assuring fans that although the upcoming season will be her last, she will still appear in season 5 of the Hulu series.
“Honestly, it's crazy for me to look back on this journey, because I had been trying to get into theater and film long before 'Secret Lives' came into my life,” she said. “The reality show just fell into my lap organically and I said yes. It's definitely not the path I had envisioned in my mind to get to where I am today, but I wouldn't change a thing. I've experienced a lot with this group of women, and through that process, I've also learned a lot about myself.”
Leavitt went on to say that the “Mormon Wives” had been through a lot together, including more extreme ups and downs than the public had ever seen. “No matter what happens with our relationships, that's something that will always be a part of our life, that will always be a part of my life, and I wouldn't change a thing.”
“The times I walked away from 'MomTok,' it was from a place of anger and frustration,” she continued. “But this time, it's significantly different, because I'm leaving with gratitude. I feel content. I feel like this is a chapter that's closing in my life, and I honestly believe that's how it was always meant to be. I'm so grateful for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. It's gotten me to where I am today. It's given me the opportunities that you've all seen. But I'm ready. I'm ready for the next chapter. And I can't wait to share with you what's next.”
Like her “Chicago” character, Leavitt’s place in the spotlight has come with unfavorable tabloid fodder. She told “Oprah Daily” that while she doesn't completely agree with her being a “villain” on the series, she has accepted her on-screen character. She's been candid about being a “very ambitious woman” and using “Secret Lives” as a launching pad for a career in Hollywood, and this isn't the first time she's left the show.
“I had drifted away from the show,” he told Gayle King of his brief hiatus after Season 2. “I wasn't enjoying it anymore. I left the show, and when they were almost halfway through the season, I got a call from the producers and they said, 'If you come back, we know you really want this opportunity to continue on 'Dancing With the Stars,' but the only way to get this opportunity is to come back and film.'”
Last year, Leavitt teamed up with professional dancer Mark Ballas and competed on season 34 of “Dancing With the Stars.” She was eliminated in the semifinals and finished in sixth place, but her performance in “Cell Block Tango” impressed the casting directors of the long-running Broadway production. One thing led to another and the reality star was headed to Broadway.
Although Salt Lake City may not be known for the excitement that is synonymous with the Big Apple, Leavitt has plenty of drama to keep her busy in the production of “Mormon Wives.”
The show went on hiatus in March amid a series of domestic violence investigations involving stars Taylor Frankie Paul and her on-again, off-again partner Dakota Mortensen. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office announced in mid-April that it would not file charges against Paul, and shortly afterward, the Hulu series said it would resume filming the fifth season.
In the comments section of Leavitt's Instagram video announcing her departure, Paul wrote, “You will be missed. Chase those dreams girl. I'm excited to see your next chapter.”
