Mormon Wives’ Jen Affleck Reveals Reason for Zac Affleck Split

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jen Affleck revealed what was the final straw in her marriage to Zac Affleck.

“The same reason why I filed for divorce is the same reason why it was really hard,” Jen, 27, exclusively told Us while discussing the series premiere of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County.

Jen recalled reconsidering her marriage after she became pregnant with baby No. 4.

“It was this fourth child. I had to ask myself very hard questions like, ‘Is this the type of relationship I want this child to look up to?’” she explained. “When I realized it was a no, that’s when I realized that I needed to make a change. You’ll see a lot of that unfold in season [1 of the spinoff].”

When The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives debuted in September 2024, viewers met a group of Mormon mom influencers in Utah, including Jen and her husband, Zac, 30. As the season continued to play out, the couple offered a glimpse at a traditional Mormon marriage, which was experiencing some major cracks.

Jen, who married Zac in June 2019, went on to welcome daughter Nora in November 2021 and son Luca in July 2023, initially stood by her husband. The pair went through a brief separation before Jen announced she was expecting baby No. 3, daughter Penelope, who was born in July 2025.

Despite attempts to fix their relationship, Jen and Zac continued to face issues.

“I think doing reality TV for sure sped up the process [of calling it quits] because when you’re filming and you’re rewatching your life unfold in front of millions of people, it’s the difference between looking in a mirror,” she exclusively told Us at the time. “It highlights things.”

Jen continued: “But also it’s like one year of therapy feels actually like 20 years of therapy because it’s so much more magnified when you’re sharing it in front of the world. I feel like if I hadn’t done reality TV, I would have still made this decision. It just would have been way longer down the road.”

Jen ultimately filed for divorce earlier this month. Zac, for his part, issued an apology to Jen for his past mistakes.

“I married my dream girl, and I messed it up,” he wrote via Instagram. “Jen, I’m sorry. I was supposed to protect your heart and I failed. I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you. I’m sorry for dimming your light.”

Zac acknowledged that he was “so young and immature,” adding, “I’m sorry I couldn’t make the changes I needed to, and I’m sorry I let things get to this point.”

He concluded: “I can’t change the past, but I can promise to keep working on myself and do everything I can to be the best father, coparent and friend moving forward,” he stated. “I want to approach this next chapter of life with nothing but love and gratitude for everything we shared. And the beautiful family we created and will continue to raise.”

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Orange County premieres Thursday, November 12, on Hulu.