Taylor Frankie Paul Responds to Grant Ellis Poking Fun at Her ‘Felonies'
Taylor Friankie Paul is clapping back at Grant Ellis after he poked fun at her "felonies" in a recent social media post.
"Yes I'm FAR from a perfect princess bachelorette," Paul, 31, wrote in an Instagram comment on Thursday, May 7. "Feel free to tell him I was also told I was one of the kindest leads they've had to both cast and crew ❤️that's how."
Paul's response came one day after Ellis, 32, posted an Instagram video taking shots at her Bachelorette controversy.
"Let me get some felonies and become a Mormon so I can get cool with Bachelor Nation," he wrote on Wednesday, May 6, while shaking his head and laughing. While he didn't use Paul's name, fans were quick to point out she was who he appeared to be referencing.
Ellis has since followed up with multiple Instagram videos also discussing Paul. On Friday, May 8, he alluded that his runner-up, Litia Garr, should have been the Bachelorette over Paul.
"2 back to back POC [people of color] woulda been the move," Ellis captioned the clip.
Paul's Bachelorette season has been rooted in controversy since the week leading up to its scheduled premiere. So much so that the season has yet to air.
News broke in March that Paul and ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen had allegedly been involved in a domestic dispute the month prior. Utah's Draper City Police Department confirmed there was an open domestic violence investigation into the couple. By April, authorities confirmed that no charges would be filed.
Amid the investigation, a video from 2023 resurfaced, showing Paul throwing a chair at Mortensen while her daughter Indy, now 8, stood nearby. (At the time, Taylor pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault over the incident in exchange for other criminal charges against her being dropped.)
After the video's release, ABC announced it was pulling Paul's season from the air.
"In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family," a spokesperson for Disney Entertainment Television told Us Weekly in March.
While the future of Paul's season is currently unclear, a source told Us earlier this week that she's "hopeful" it will see the light of day.
"She has been doing the work behind the scenes, taken accountability and is focused on moving forward in a more positive way," the insider told Us. "The hope is that viewers would connect with that growth and see a different side of her, making this season feel like a true redemption moment rather than just a return to TV, but right now her priority is her family and her mental health."
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 12:25 PM.