Disgraced Smallville star Allison Mack has opened up about her life after prison, and revealed a completely unexpected new career path following her role in the notorious NXIVM sex cult.
The former actress, best known for playing Chloe Sullivan in the hit Superman prequel series, was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021 after pleading guilty to manipulating women into becoming sex slaves for cult leader Keith Raniere.
After serving just 21 months of her sentence, Mack was released in July 2023, and is now attempting to rebuild her life, this time, by dedicating herself to helping others, FOX News reports.
From TV Stardom to Social Work Student
Now 43, Mack has traded in the red carpets of Hollywood for a classroom. According to recent reports, she has enrolled in a master’s program in social work, marking a major step away from her acting career and a clear attempt at redemption, according to Vanity Fair.
Her new direction comes six years after pleading guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, crimes that linked her directly to NXIVM’s operations.
Inside the NXIVM Cult’s Disturbing Reality
Founded by Keith Raniere, NXIVM initially presented itself as a self-help and personal empowerment organization. But behind the façade, the group operated as a sex cult and pyramid scheme, complete with rigid hierarchies, abuse, and manipulation.
Women involved in NXIVM were reportedly coerced into obedience through blackmail, starvation diets, and sexual exploitation. One of the cult’s most horrifying rituals was a "branding ceremony", where female members were marked with Raniere’s initials using a cautery pen, the New York Times details.
Raniere was ultimately sentenced to 120 years in prison for crimes including sex trafficking and forced labor. Mack avoided a longer sentence after cooperating with prosecutors and providing key information that helped convict him.
Allison Mack’s Life Inside NXIVM
In her new podcast, Allison After NXIVM, Mack describes how she fell under Raniere’s psychological control, first as a devoted follower, then as one of his inner-circle leaders.
She recounts being brainwashed and manipulated into believing her actions were part of a noble cause. Over time, Mack became Raniere’s close confidante, engaging in daily sexual activity with him and encouraging other women to do the same under the guise of “spiritual development.”
The actress also ran her own subgroup known as DOS (“Dominus Obsequious Sororium,” meaning “Master Over Slave Women”), where she maintained strict control over other female members, dictating their food intake, sleep schedules, and personal behavior.
Among those she recruited was India Oxenberg, daughter of actress Catherine Oxenberg, who later went public with her harrowing experience.
Acknowledging Her Role and Seeking Redemption
Following her conviction, Mack says she began to "wake up" to the damage she caused, both to others and to her own family.
In emotional moments shared on her podcast, she reflects on the pain her loved ones endured upon learning the truth about her double life. “My poor brother, my poor mom, I’m so sorry,” she said tearfully. “I don’t see myself as innocent, and they were.”
Rebuilding After Scandal
While Mack’s attempt at a new beginning has been met with mixed reactions, her decision to pursue social work suggests a deep desire to understand and prevent the kind of manipulation she once endured, and inflicted.
Once a promising actress with a bright career ahead, Allison Mack’s story has become a cautionary tale of celebrity influence, coercion, and the dangers of blind devotion.
Now, with her focus on helping others instead of performing for audiences, Mack appears determined to transform her troubled past into a meaningful second act.