The Viall Files E1035: Going Deeper with Jessi Draper (November 19, 2025)

Overview

In this candid and emotionally raw episode of “The Viall Files,” Nick Viall, Natalie Joy, and the Household welcome Jessi Draper—breakout star of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”—for an in-depth, two-part conversation. Jessi discusses the impact of reality TV fame, challenges with vulnerability, her business journey, and most notably, the tumultuous path of her marriage, including public scandal and deeply personal struggles with emotional abuse and infidelity. This episode is essential for listeners interested in modern relationships, the costs of authenticity in public life, and the behind-the-scenes reality of being on a hit show.

Main Discussion Points

1. Jessi’s Journey into Reality TV & “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”

• Fast-Track Fame and Sacrifice

  • Jessi reflects on the rapid ascent of the show’s cast to stardom (03:01; 04:53).
  • The challenges of filming back-to-back, balancing business, family, and sudden public scrutiny (04:54).
  • Quote:

    "We’re really just filming our real lives in Utah. ... You forget that it’s so big when you’re just like, with your kids in Utah and your best friends."
    — Jessi (05:33)

• Origins of Her Involvement

  • Invited through professional relationships—her work as a hairdresser led her to the main group (07:07).
  • Emphasizes authenticity:

    "From day one, I was just myself. And that translates on camera."
    — Jessi (07:43)

• On Being Vulnerable and Authentic

  • Influencer background helped with openness, but Taylor (castmate) set the tone for honesty:

    "...If you own your shit, like, what can they do? They can say whatever they want, but you’re being honest."
    — Jessi (09:19)

  • Close friendships within the cast make vulnerability easier (09:39).

2. Surreal & Difficult Experiences from Fame

• Meeting Celebrities and Feeling Seen

  • Stories of Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis being fans, plus run-ins with Scott Disick and Khloe Kardashian (10:30).

• Drawbacks of the Spotlight

  • Fans driving by and photographing her home, leading her to consider moving (06:13).
  • The pressure of constant public opinion, including accusations of feuds within the cast (11:45).
  • Quote:

    "The audience does it more than we even do. ... This is our real lives we’re showing."
    — Jessi (12:15)

3. Relationship with Jordan—History, Crisis & Growth

Meeting and Early Connection

• Both Jessi and Jordan had previous marriages/relationships (14:52).
• Their bond was rooted in shared pain of recent breakups and a love for social connection (15:12).
• Quote:

  "I was probably just looking for a distraction ... he had been divorced, and he understood."
  — Jessi (15:12)

Past Marriage & Mormonism

• Jessi details her conservative upbringing and the pain of her first emotionally abusive marriage (18:15).
• Difficulty of divorce in Mormon culture, pressure to stay for religious reasons, and still being “sealed” to her ex (21:41, 25:55).
• On religious trauma:

  "There were comments like, that … I wasn’t good enough for my ex because my family wasn’t super religious and I wasn’t."
  — Jessi (23:28)

Business Success and Family Dynamics

• Built her business from the ground up, thanks to a loan from her father (37:52).
• Family business helped her gain confidence, which contributed to both marriages’ tension (40:23).

Seeking Support in Relationships

• In both marriages, her success as a businesswoman created friction.

  "I think men do struggle with that sometimes, especially in the Mormon culture … if the woman's making more money, it can be threatening."
  — Jessi (34:10)

4. Season Three Crisis—Separation, Affair, and Public Reckoning

Emotional Breakdown of the Marriage

• Emotional abuse from Jordan grew over years, culminating in a toxic dynamic (52:46).
  • Examples: controlling behavior, name-calling, intimidation, and affecting their children (57:31).
  • Quote:

    "It was over time, really small movements and then it became just, like, this toxic cycle, but I was already in it…"
    — Jessi (52:46)

Details of the Affair

• Jessi describes her emotional state before her affair with Marciano—a “cry for help” and escape from a dark period (54:53; 56:09).

• She clarifies misconceptions about being separated at the time:

  "We weren’t separated, but … Jordan told me if anyone ever finds out, we need to say we were separated…"
  — Jessi (56:16)

• Sequence of events:

  • The affair began with a kiss post-podcast event, fueled by attention and low self-esteem (63:32; 66:04).
  • Jordan discovered the affair in Vegas by checking her phone, leading to months of blackmail, secrecy, and emotional fallout (61:38).
  • Quote:

    "He was like, I’m gonna post it [texts]. Like, it was so toxic."
    — Jessi (54:34)

Disclosure and Cast Reactions

• Jessi’s sisters and close friends (Macy, Michaela) helped her through, choosing to love and support her, even as she disclosed everything (86:11).
• Taylor’s advice:

  "Own it, don’t lie about anything, because it will eventually come out…"
  — Jessi (88:13)

The Role of Therapy & Change

• Couples and individual therapy proved transformative, helping Jordan see his role and begin owning his abuse (74:43).
• Therapist helped by naming Jordan’s abusive persona “Frank,” providing distance and awareness (74:50).
• Jessi feels stronger and ready to leave if patterns repeat thanks to this work (79:32).

Notable Quotes & Key Moments

• [04:53]

  "We film two seasons a year, and it’s just a constant battle … I love it. ...But it is crazy that we were all influencers on a small scale … people had opinions about our lives, but now it’s on a much larger scale…"

• [10:30]

  "Ashton Kutcher ... was like, ‘Oh my gosh, the Mormon show! Me and my wife love it.’"
  — Jessi describing surreal fan encounters

• [16:55]

  "My healing kind of hit me halfway through my marriage with Jordan ... going through this with Jordan really opened up my first marriage wounds ... I didn’t realize I had buried so much of it."

• [54:34]

  "He was recording me, and he’s, like, taunting me, and I was chasing around the house. We were just screaming at each other. It was so bad … it got to a point where I was like, I can’t do this."

• [73:30]

  "He cared more about his image. ...This is so emasculating. ...It wasn’t about the actual act. It was about how it made him look."

• [75:41]

  "Our therapist first hand saw it...she calls his dark side Frank. ...That’s when I think he realized. And now he’s taken full accountability for how he’s treated me. And that was a turning point."

• [86:19]

  "I’m going to cry talking about them. My friendships in the group have meant so much to me. I would not have been able to get through season three and, like, this trial in my life without them."

Important Timestamps

• 03:16–04:53: Jessi describes adjusting to rapid fame, the show’s impact on her life
• 07:07–08:25: How she joined the show, the dynamic of authenticity
• 10:30: Jessi recounts surreal celebrity fan encounters
• 14:52–16:12: The start of her relationship with Jordan
• 18:15–22:23: Jessi on her first marriage, growing up Mormon, healing old wounds
• 34:10–37:37: Dynamics of being a businesswoman in a patriarchal culture and in her marriages
• 52:46–54:34: Emotional abuse, crisis moments leading to separation
• 54:53–56:12: Headspace during her affair and aftermath
• 61:38: When Jordan learns of the affair in Vegas
• 73:30–75:41: Jordan’s reaction, image management, and therapy breakthrough
• 86:19–88:13: Friendships, advice from cast, and the power of accountability

Closing Thoughts and Tone

Jessi maintains remarkable vulnerability throughout, openly discussing both her own failings (affair, using relationships as “band-aids”) and the seriousness of being in an emotionally abusive relationship. The tone is reflective, honest, and surprisingly light at times, especially when discussing the absurdities of fame or the comfort she finds in her cast friendships. Natalie and the co-hosts provide compassionate, sometimes tough, supportive dialogue, highlighting real-world resonance for anyone who’s faced similar struggles or high-stakes choices in love and life.

Next Episode Tease

Nick will host a “man to man” interview with Jordan, offering another side to this ongoing story and promising further resolution and insight.

SUMMARY AT A GLANCE

• Candid look at Jessi’s reality TV life and business success
• Deep dive into emotional and relationship trauma, infidelity, and healing
• Therapy and friend support are lifelines for Jessi’s continued growth
• Honest, raw, and relatable throughout—an unmissable episode for fans of modern relationship talk