Whitney Leavitt spent years dreaming of moments like this.
The “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star now finds herself leading Broadway’s legendary “Chicago” as Roxie Hart—a role she manifested into reality through sheer determination and a willingness to face public scrutiny most people couldn’t handle.
Her journey from Utah mom to reality TV villain to Broadway leading lady offers unexpected lessons about ambition, resilience, and what happens when you refuse to apologize for wanting more.
Because the path she took wasn’t pretty, but it worked.
From Rock Bottom to TikTok Breakthrough
Leavitt’s transformation began during early motherhood, in what she describes as a come-to-Jesus moment when she realized she needed change.
I was like, ‘Let’s stop groveling. Let’s get off our ass and see what we’ve got. I have an iPhone, and I’ve got a free app where I can shake my booty and create funny videos.’
Her family thought she was ridiculous. Friends dismissed her social media aspirations as childish fantasy.
Telling my family and friends, it was just such a joke to them. ‘Why do you want to do that?’ ‘Wow. Good luck.’
But Leavitt knew something they didn’t—she had found her outlet during difficult postpartum days, scrolling TikTok as escape and inspiration rolled into one.
Building MomTok While Chasing Hollywood
Movies remained her ultimate goal. TikTok was just the vehicle.
For years, Leavitt posted three to five videos daily, testing what resonated with audiences. She connected with other Mormon moms who were building sustainable incomes—some even outearning their husbands in a community where female breadwinners were rare.
Together, they became #MomTok, a viral sensation that eventually caught Hulu’s attention.
But Leavitt felt conflicted about her growing influencer status.
The brand deals were nice. They were fun. But my goal wasn’t to be an influencer, right? And that’s what I was becoming.
She figured staying the course would pay off eventually. When “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” opportunity emerged, she thought it was her big break.
She was right—but not in ways she expected.
Reality TV Villain: Lessons in Public Humiliation
“Mormon Wives” premiered in September 2024 and immediately surpassed “The Kardashians” to become Hulu’s most-watched reality premiere of the year.
Success came with brutal consequences.
We were just excited to get a bigger platform, and that’s also how it’s presented to us. ‘Look at this diamond. So shiny and cute!’ I’m like, ‘It is! Give it to me!’
Suddenly, interpersonal dramas that would normally resolve in group chats streamed on Hulu for millions to dissect. Leavitt quickly became the show’s villain—portrayed as holier-than-thou, spotlight-hoarding, and perpetually playing victim.
Her Season 1 offenses included:
- Skipping Taylor Frankie Paul’s baby shower
- Giving Demi Engemann an embarrassing gag gift about her sexual history
- Leaving the #MomTok group chat and unfollowing everyone
- Missing Mayci Neeley’s business launch
- Showing up uninvited to Mikayla Matthews’ birthday party
Offenses that feel nuclear within friend groups but shouldn’t earn death threats.
Unless cameras are rolling.
Behind-the-Scenes Manipulation
I didn’t watch reality TV. I still don’t. So I went into it very naive. And people forget that before you film, people are talking to you like, ‘You’re about to have this conversation with so-and-so, and she’s pissed.’ It gives me so much anxiety.
Before walking into Matthews’ birthday party, Leavitt was crying her eyes out. Nobody watching would have known.
As online hate poured in after Season 1, Leavitt was inconsolable. Now she laughs at herself for the same behaviors critics jabbed her for.
Sometimes, when something bad happens to you, you only think of yourself. ‘Woe is me. Me, me, me, me, me. This is why I’m the victim.’
Quitting, Returning, and Finding Her Power
By Season 2, Leavitt was angsty and exhausted. Contract renegotiations arrived, and she asked Hulu for a role on a scripted series.
They turned her down. She quit.
Leavitt bought a house in Southern Utah, five hours from production in Provo, and moved her family away from the chaos. Then producers called with news that “Dancing With the Stars” wanted some “Mormon Wives” cast members to audition—but only if she rejoined the show.
I had a really long conversation with Conner. Like, ‘I don’t know how to feel like myself and do this experience.’
After watching herself respond to artificial pressures instead of following true instincts, Leavitt saw a woman in crisis. But “Dancing With the Stars” represented exactly the opportunity she’d hoped for when starting on TikTok.
After a week of soul-searching, she decided to confront the anxieties that made her feel victimized.
I was like, ‘You know what? Fuck that.’
Season 3: Embracing Authenticity Over Likability
Leavitt returned with new attitude in Episode 5, “The Book of Resurrection.” When castmates grilled her about coming back, she was transparent—she prioritized the “Dancing With the Stars” audition over #MomTok friendships.
I always knew what I wanted. I’ve never been ashamed of it. I’ve learned as I’ve grown up that that’s sometimes a turn-off for people, but that’s just a part of who I am.
Her admission caused more drama. But this time, it didn’t wound her.
She instituted a pre-filming ritual—taking deep breaths while listening to “Could Have Been Me” by The Struts or “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters,” envisioning herself at peace.
I envision myself at peace. ‘Let me reground myself because I know shit’s about to hit the fan, and I want to be as authentic as I possibly can.’
She stopped avoiding drama—unreasonable on reality TV anyway—and focused on showing up as her truest self.
The Mental Shift That Changed Everything
Leavitt stopped obsessing over how scenes were edited.
Reality TV is hard, because you have to be willing to understand that there’s a story we’re telling, and you can’t keep everything. We signed up for that. Did I know that in the beginning? No. But I know it now.
Even when she knows she’s at fault, viewer opinions matter less now.
I think the important thing is recognizing it, trying your best not to do it again, but then also being like, ‘Well, I’m a human being, and you don’t have to like me. Because I also probably wouldn’t like you!’
She admits on-camera emotions are naturally heightened, leading to moments she later regrets. Something happened in Season 4 that made her message a castmate apologizing for losing her composure.
When there’s a camera in front of me, I feel an unspoken pressure to perform. I’ve talked about it with some of the women, and a lot of them agree. We’re like, ‘What is that? I would have never freaked out that much, but I did.’
Little by little, she’s healing #MomTok relationships. When asked how she’s doing with other women today, she quips: “I would say, ‘great’! And then ‘good’ for some of them. And then ‘OK.’ But no bad.”
Opportunism Pays Off: Dancing, Movies, and Broadway
Leavitt did get cast on “Dancing With the Stars” alongside castmate Jen Affleck. Portions of Season 4 were shot while she competed in Los Angeles.
Early into her run, she landed her first feature film—Christmas rom-com “All for Love.” Then, just one day after privately telling dance partner Mark Ballas that Roxie Hart would be a dream role, “Chicago” producers reached out asking if she’d audition.
I was like, first of all, fuck yes. Secondly, I need to learn how to sing right now.
She started vocal lessons immediately, learning monologues while competing on television. She and Ballas planted a covert audition on national TV when they performed “Cell Block Tango”—one of “Chicago’s” most iconic numbers.
They made semifinals before elimination, with many speculating that Season 3’s reveal of her unabashed pursuit of the audition pushed viewers to vote against her.
Still, she was widely discussed as the season’s most skilled dancer.
Six Weeks That Changed Her Life
After elimination on November 18, Leavitt’s timeline became dizzying:
- Flew to New York for “Chicago” audition two days later
- Received official offer to play Roxie the next day
- Learned ABC arranged for her and Ballas to tape their finalist freestyle paired with “Call Her Daddy” podcast interview
- Spent two weeks shooting “All for Love”
- Returned to Utah to pack family for winter
- Moved to New York for “Chicago” rehearsals days before Christmas
In six weeks, while learning lines, songs, and choreography, she’s been intermittently followed by cameras documenting her “Chicago” experience for “Mormon Wives” Season 5.
When asked about unannounced projects, she bats her eyelashes: “Maybe. Maybe another movie. Not a rom-com. A thriller.”
What Roxie Hart Taught Her About Fame
Playing Roxie—who murders someone at “Chicago’s” beginning—serves as delicious alter ego for reality TV’s most misunderstood villain.
I don’t feel like I did anything that bad. You would think I had brutally killed someone from the commentary you hear online.
Leavitt sees herself in Roxie’s ambition.
Sometimes when I’m playing her, I’m like, ‘This hits a little too close to home.’ She’s like, ‘Please, no pictures!’ But…
Leavitt shimmies one shoulder with sly grin, like posing for photo anyway. “We might share that in common.”
What has Roxie—whose crime turns her into celebrity until new murderess steals spotlight—taught Leavitt about fame?
It’s not something that you can rely on.
But as Roxie’s story ends, her stage career presses forward. “Chicago” itself is Broadway’s longest-running American show.
So Leavitt has gleaned lessons about endurance too.
Roxie’s always known what she wants, and she was never afraid to say what it is. She’s curious. ‘Oh, you did it that way? I’m gonna try too.’ I can relate, because I’m still learning in this industry.
The Future: Choosing Between Two Worlds
Shooting “Mormon Wives” Season 5 in New York away from castmates has been “very lonely,” though they’re all attending opening night. But scheduling difficulties reveal deeper question about her future on the show.
They’re following me while I’m in New York, but I don’t know how that would look for future seasons. It wouldn’t make sense. People want to see the group together. Part of me is like, ‘I can’t do both,’ because both are so time-demanding.
She needs to crush this role. She wants producers, writers, and directors to come watch and be inspired.
When asked what she gains from staying on “Mormon Wives” now that she’s booking dream roles, Leavitt falls silent for full 10 seconds.
I don’t know. Because this is what I wanted, and I wasn’t shy about sharing that. So at what point do you move on to the next journey? That’s where it all started, so it’s kind of sad. But maybe that’s the best thing.
Time away from Utah has also given Leavitt space from “devout, exact obedience” to Mormon faith she grew up with. She still has core values but her 30s mark first time questioning things.
She’s also considering how politics should factor into her public platform, particularly regarding ICE raids.
Of course I have opinions. Of course I hate what’s going on right now. It’s really sad and it’s disturbing, and it makes me angry. I do want to use my platform for good. I just don’t know what that looks like.
The Takeaway: Ambition Without Apology
Watching Leavitt at theater, chatting and getting feedback from “Chicago” castmates and choreographers, she seemed like the no-holds-barred version of herself from Season 3—but warmer, happier.
It’s easier being your best self in production depending on your success than one zooming in on darkest moments.
Listening to her speak—a Broadway lead who two years ago was just TikToker in Utah—it isn’t hard believing Leavitt will keep going.
She’s a villain, but she gets to be a hero. She took circumstances that were out of her control and was like, ‘How do I keep this going?’
Her dreams are getting more specific now. She wants another “Step Up” mixed with “American Horror Story”—edgier, less campy. Ryan Murphy project tops her wishlist.
Whitney Leavitt’s story isn’t about likability. It’s about what happens when you refuse apologizing for wanting more—when you’re willing to endure public humiliation, death threats, and endless criticism because you know exactly where you’re going.
Sometimes the villain gets her happy ending after all.