Reality television star Jen Affleck is speaking candidly about the emotional toll of ending her seven-year marriage while pregnant with her fourth child. The 27-year-old breakout cast member of Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives filed for divorce from her husband, Zac Affleck, 30, on Nov. 3, 2026, in the Fourth Judicial District Court in Provo, Utah, according to court documents obtained by People. While promoting the release of the franchise's new Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County spinoff on Nov. 10, Affleck explained that she initiated the legal separation to prioritize the well-being of her children and break long-standing relationship cycles prior to giving birth.

In a Zoom interview with Page Six's "Virtual Reali-Tea," Affleck described the ongoing split as "really, really hard," adding that she is doing her best to stay positive while figuring out the next steps for her family.

"My mindset is just what's best for my kids and doing what's best for them," she stated. "I wouldn't wish divorce on anyone. Honestly, if you can avoid it, you should avoid it. All I can say is, I gave it my all."

Why Jen Affleck Filed Before Giving Birth

The timing of the divorce petition—filed roughly four months after Affleck announced her fourth pregnancy in June 2026—stemmed from concerns over her mental and emotional health after delivery. According to Entertainment Weekly, Affleck wanted to formalize the decision before going into labor because she views the postpartum period as an especially vulnerable stage. She worried that waiting until after the baby arrived would make finalizing the split harder and trap her in a recurring marital cycle she wanted to end.

This perspective marks a shift from her public remarks earlier in the pregnancy.

In August 2026, Affleck told People that she and Zac were spending substantial time working on their relationship while she navigated prenatal depression and medical complications during her first trimester, noting at the time that she would not have survived those early months without his support. However, during promotional interviews released on Nov. 6, People reported that Affleck credited watching footage of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives with helping her recognize troubling relationship patterns she had previously trained herself to forget.

Conflicting Timelines and Social Media Fallout

In the days following the Utah court filing, the estranged spouses offered differing accounts of how the final decision was communicated. According to Entertainment Weekly, Jen maintained that Zac was not blindsided by the court paperwork because she had been telling him for a long time that she wanted to end the marriage.

In contrast, Entertainment Weekly reported that Zac posted a TikTok video on Nov. 5 claiming he learned about the official divorce filing from a TMZ reporter rather than directly from his wife. In that video, Zac acknowledged that Jen had first raised the topic of divorce about a year earlier following her stint on Dancing with the Stars, at which point he begged her to stay and offered to work on their issues.

The public disagreement quickly escalated on social media. After Zac posted a video promising to always remain Jen's "biggest fan," Jen published a series of saved TikTok drafts depicting tense moments from their marriage, according to Page Six and People. Captioned "He was never my biggest supporter," the footage showed Zac criticizing her housework and making disparaging comments about her postpartum body, specifically urging her not to post a video because of her "sagging" breasts.

Zac addressed the backlash in a social media comment, stating that the footage was from 2022.

"When I saw the video today, I was absolutely shocked I had said that," Zac wrote, as reported by People. "I said a lot of horrible and hurtful things, but I have tried my best to learn and grow." Three days after the court filing, People noted that Zac issued a broader public apology stating he had failed to protect Jen's heart.

Five Seasons of Reality TV Tension

The couple's marital friction has been a central storyline for reality television viewers since they debuted on Hulu. Having met on a Mormon dating app in 2018 before marrying in 2019, the pair documented their arguments and subsequent couples therapy across five seasons of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Following the filming of the debut season in 2024, they briefly separated before reconciling when Jen discovered she was pregnant with their third child, Penelope.

Throughout the series and her broader media appearances, Zac struggled with Jen's expanding career ambitions, including her aspirations to pursue scripted television acting and model for Sports Illustrated, according to Page Six.

Tensions also surfaced during Jen's time competing on Dancing with the Stars alongside professional partner Jan Ravnik. Zac publicly complained about the difficulty of watching his wife perform with Ravnik, and the-sun.com later reported allegations that Zac acted like a "nightmare" on set by attempting to dictate her costumes and choreography.

Co-Parenting Plans and Family Adjustments

Despite the public friction, both parties have emphasized their commitment to their children: five-year-old Nora, three-year-old Luca (also reported as Lucas), and one-year-old Penelope, according to People and Page Six. Just 24 hours after submitting the divorce petition on Nov. 3, the estranged couple reunited to celebrate Nora's fifth birthday together.

What are the current custody and co-parenting arrangements?

While the specific financial and custodial terms of the divorce filing remain private, Page Six confirmed that Jen included a proposed co-parenting plan in her initial court petition.

Additionally, a source told People on Nov. 4 that both Jen and Zac are currently focused on supporting their three children and preparing for the arrival of their fourth baby.

How does this impact the 'Mormon Wives' franchise?

The divorce unfolds just as Hulu expands the franchise with the release of the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County spinoff. While Jen has utilized the spinoff's press tour to address her marital status and how watching past episodes influenced her decision to leave, networks and producers have not yet confirmed how the legal proceedings and upcoming birth will be structured into future seasons of the flagship series.

Sources