PRETEND 2309: From Smallville to NXIVM: The Psychology Behind Allison Mack
Smallville's Allison Mack is out of prison, and she's finally talking.
What was NXIVM, and how did Allison Mack become a high-ranking member?
NXIVM was a self-help organization that sold leadership training and personal development courses. Beneath the surface, it operated as a coercive group led by Keith Raniere, using control tactics like starvation diets, sleep deprivation, emotional manipulation, and eventually a secret “master-slave” subgroup called DOS.
Who is Allison Mack?
Allison Mack, best known from Smallville, joined NXIVM in the mid-2000s. She rose quickly inside the group and later played a major role in recruiting and controlling women within DOS. Mack pled guilty to racketeering and served three years in federal prison for her crimes. She was released in 2023.
What is this episode about?
In this conversation, journalist Natalie Robehmed — host of the new CBC podcast Allison After NXIVM — explains how Allison Mack describes her journey from devoted follower to active perpetrator. We break down the psychological mechanics that made NXIVM work: obedience training, emotional conditioning, sexual manipulation, and why even smart people get pulled into systems like this.
We also revisit Allison’s early life as a child actor, her abusive relationship before NXIVM, and how these patterns help explain the control she eventually exerted over others.
After you listen, check out:
👉 Allison After NXIVM from Uncover (CBC + Campsite Media) — Episode 1 is out now.
https://open.spotify.com/show/5asD2sDYXsiUCtYi7VUO49?si=0325705c159b4f54
👉 Comic Book Central’s 2016 interview with Allison Mack — recorded before NXIVM collapsed, offering an eerie look at who she was then.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VXZyFrQGrzwHzgU1D1Cih?si=dd94dae2332a493e
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