Whitney Leavitt comes from the reality television world, but shes making sure that wont be what shes remembered for.

Since The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives hit Hulu in September 2024, the shows cast has been catapulted into swift stardom. Most of those opportunities have orbited the reality TV space, with Leavitt herself competing on ABCs buzziest Dancing With the Stars installment last year.

And then, following quite the impressive run on the competitive dance series, Leavitt landed the leading role in Chicago on Broadway. Later this year, shell also make her feature film debut in a holiday rom-com for Ninth House Productions that shes also executive producing. All the while, shes been starring in Mormon Wives and filming for future unreleased seasons. But Leavitt tells The Hollywood Reporter shes ready to take on new challenges that may lead her away from the Hulu series.

I wouldnt be where I am without [The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,] Leavitt says, continuing, But it feels like its time to challenge myself in other ways and fulfill these dreams and passions that Ive been trying to get even before the show.

Below, Leavitt breaks down her busy life as Chicagos leading lady while filming for the reality TV show, the behind-the-scenes aspects of DWTS shown on Mormon Wives season four, her future acting ambitions and which filmmaker shed love to work with and how shes figuring it out in real time what her future with Mormon Wives looks like.

What does a typical day in the life look like for Whitney Leavitt starring in Chicago?

My kids are up at about 6:30 a.m. We get up, we have breakfast, take them to school. I go to the gym, and then after, Ive been either auditioning or I still take vocal lessons. Im filming for Secret Lives right now, other housekeeping duties and then I head to the theater. Im there about an hour and a half early, do my warm-up, get ready, do a show.

In season four of Secret Lives, we got to see the behind-the-scenes of how Chicago came about. Youre going to be starring in your first feature this year that youre executive producing. Are there any future projects brewing right now behind-the-scenes you can tease?

What I can say is Ive always been a performer, and Secret Lives just kind of stumbled into my life. People dont know that before this happened, I was still auditioning. I moved to California, I was taking acting classes; Margie Haber, Groundlings, Lesly Kahn, like, I did everything. Then I got this reality [TV] opportunity, and I took it. But even during that time of still auditioning, my passion is film. I love entertaining, I love acting, so thats what I can tease. Hopefully more films youll see me in. (Laughs.)

Did you always see yourself going into acting, or did you want to do Broadway? What did you see yourself doing when you were younger?

I always saw myself acting. Obviously, Ive always had a passion for Broadway, but I never felt like I had that Broadway voice. [I] felt like I had the acting, I felt like I had the dancing, but a voice is a huge role in that. And while I was doing Dancing With the Stars and that opportunity to audition for the role came, I was like, Oh my God, I need to take voice lessons now, which I did while I was doing Dancing With the Stars.

Whitney Leavitt stars as Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway. Jeremy Daniel Lets talk about Dancing With the Stars. On season four of Mormon Wives, you talked about how, as you made it farther into the competition, you never thought you would last long. Why didnt you think you would go far into Dancing With the Stars?

I think just this perception of me from season one of Secret Lives spread into the world. That narrative just gave me an insecurity going to a different platform, because I felt like I didnt have that community that was rooting for me. And boy was I surprised, because I definitely did, and I still do. Because Im telling you right now, the records that were breaking with Chicago, with ticket sales, that wouldnt happen without that community thats rooting for me. That was a very overwhelming and beautiful moment in my life.

You mentioned you were receiving a lot of hate, and your run on Dancing With the Stars drove this conversation about women and mothers who are ambitious and candid in that ambition. Did you see that on the flip side of the hate, people were in support of you, and how you also broke out this conversation about [ambitious women]?

Yeah, I did see that. Not all of it, because I tried to stay off during it, but Im a human being and I definitely wanted to see what the talk of the town was. But it was interesting, and I would be interested if it was a man, a father, who basically had the same stance that I took, and I wonder how that would have been received. But I think it was a great conversation. Im so happy that it happened, because I think it really got people thinking. I mean, it got me thinking. I was like, Youre right. What if it was a man? (Laughs.)

Right before your elimination on Dancing With the Stars, season three of Mormon Wives came out, and a lot of people think that contributed to your elimination. Do you agree?

Im gonna say yes, because I either got respect from being candid and honest about my wants, or people felt like I was exploiting a group to get what I wanted, which just wasnt true. I was very honest and candid about my reasons of coming back [to the show.] Like, it was the producers that called me and said, Well, if you do this, you could possibly do this. And I was willing to take that risk, because this is what Ive always wanted to do. I want to be an actress, and that felt like a platform where I could showcase some of those skills.

Youre still involved with the DWTS family as youre going to appear at Dancing With the Stars Con this year. Theres been this conversation about when they are going to do a second All-Star season. If they did that and they asked you, would you say yes?

1,000 percent. If it worked out in my life, and I didnt have any other projects that were conflicting. Thatd be amazing.

Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas perform to Cell Block Tango from Chicago the Musical on Dancing With the Stars. Disney/Eric McCandless You are now an executive producer of Mormon Wives. That means you could be officially nominated for an Emmy if the show gets another nomination. If you received that Emmy nomination attached to the show as an EP, what would that mean to you?

Oh, wow. I think even just getting the title [of EP,] I know not just for me, but for all of the women, means a lot, because thats something that we can carry with us for future business opportunities or future projects. Like, thats with us forever. Wow, that would be really cool. Ive never even thought of that, that I would be the one going up there with the rest of the women if we actually won. (Laughs) That would be so cool.

Do you have a dream Broadway role?

I dont know if it needs to be a remake of a film or if we need to revive it on Broadway, but I think we need a revival of Sweet Charity. I would love to play Charity.

Youve mentioned that acting is one of your main passions right now, but after Chicago, do you see yourself continuing on Broadway or are gonna go full-fledged into acting?

To me, being on Broadway is still acting. Thats still filling my cup. But if I could do both, 1,000 percent, because Broadway is like an acting boot camp. And I dont have this expectation to all of a sudden be in massive Oscar award-winning films. Thats the goal, but I know its going to take time to get there, because I want to work with people. Theres actors and actresses who have been doing this for years, climbing that ladder, and Im climbing that.

Do you have a dream filmmaker you want to work with?

I love Ryan Murphy. I think hes so talented and such a hard worker, and I admire that. I admire his passion, and I want to work with passionate people and people who also want to work hard.

When were talking about all these opportunities and the future of your career, I noticed on season four of Secret Lives the women talking about how opportunities outside of MomTok could drive the group apart. What do you think when you hear the women say things like that? Do they expect you not to jump at some of these amazing opportunities?

I dont know if thats an expectation. If it is, it hasnt been communicated to me. But just like any band, lets just use One Direction for a minute, I would hope that they would all support each other when they broke off and had their individual careers because it felt like the right time to do that. And, you know, I cant speak for the other women, but it kind of feels like thats whats happening with me. I wouldnt be where I am without that platform and this group that we created, this business that we created, but maybe its time for me to branch out in other areas. And I feel, today, that each one of them would support me in that.

Youre filming right now for Secret Lives, but how do you see yourself moving forward with the show when youre getting these opportunities? Do you think that you would leave the show soon?

Well, Im figuring it out in real time. Were figuring it out together, but it feels like thats the trajectory of where its going. But again, I wouldnt be where I am without it, but it feels like its time to challenge myself in other ways and fulfill these dreams and passions that Ive been trying to get even before the show.

Mayci Neeley, Miranda Hope, Whitney Leavitt, Jessi Draper and Mikayla Matthews on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season four. Disney/Fred Hayes Mormon Wives is very similar to The Real Housewives, but one of the major differences is that on Mormon Wives, the women are a real group of friends with real relationships, but on Housewives, they look at their shows and relationships more as a business opportunity. Do you think you would fare better on a show like Real Housewives, where the business side of things is better understood?

No. You know, before [I started] reality TV, I didnt really watch reality TV. Its a world thats foreign to me, so its kind of ironic that that was my start (Laughs) in this entertainment world in Hollywood. No, I dont think I would ever do that. No. Like, be on Real Housewives of Salt Lake?

Or any Housewives I mean, youre in New York.

No. (Laughs.)

I think if your journey did end on Mormon Wives, eventually in the future, people would want to see more of you in that [reality TV] format.

Oh, I mean, I dont ever close a door. Im not closing it, but yeah, I dont see myself being on a Real Housewives show. (Laughs.)

Whitney, youre crushing it on Broadway; you killed it on Dancing With the Stars; youre starring in your first feature; youre executive producing Mormon Wives and that feature what is next for Whitney Leavitt?

This is just the beginning. It feels like this is just the beginning of something that Ive wanted to do and Ive been trying to do for years. I couldnt be more grateful. I feel like Im just now on the ladder, and Im just going to slowly start climbing it.