In a recently discovered interview from 2017, “Smallville” actor Allison Mack disclosed her reason for joining the s** cult NXIVM.
Mack, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021 for recruiting women into the cult, expressed her desire to “become a great actress again.”
The interview was revisited by journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis during an episode of Gabriel Sherman’s podcast “Infamous: Inside America’s Biggest Scandals,” where she discussed her 2018 New York Times Magazine story on the cult.
Mack shared her experience, stating that she felt empty while playing the role of an actress in New York.
To fill this void, she moved to Albany and joined NXIVM in search of her true self.
Mack admitted to asking Keith Raniere, the founder of NXIVM, for help in regaining her acting prowess as she believed she had been pretending all along.
Raniere, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2020 for various charges including s** trafficking children, falsely presented the s** cult as a self-help group.
Alongside Nancy Salzman, Raniere co-founded NXIVM, masquerading as a scientist to entice potential members.
Mack and several other women within NXIVM were branded with a symbol that appeared to combine both Mack’s and Raniere’s initials.
However, in the unearthed interview, Mack denied any intention for the initials to be part of the symbol.
She referred to the branded women as a “sorority.”
According to Mack, the brand symbolized a commitment among the women to support and empower one another in becoming their most authentic selves.
This goal was pursued by facing fears, exposing vulnerabilities, and offering unwavering support to each other.
Mack also described the group’s focus on “overcoming pain” and likened their experiences to those of individuals in war-torn countries.
Additionally, women in the group, known as “DOS” (Dominus Obsequious Sororium or “master over slave” in Latin), were instructed to limit their calorie intake and engage in s**ual activities with Raniere.
During the interview, Mack vehemently denied allegations of recruiting women as Raniere’s “s** slaves,” despite later being charged with this offense.
The documentary series “The Vow,” released in 2021, followed both men and women who escaped NXIVM after being recruited at a time when they felt stagnant in their careers.
Episodes of “Infamous: Inside America’s Biggest Scandals” are released every Thursday, providing further insights into high-profile cases like NXIVM.
