Lena Dunham has disclosed a chilling encounter with former NXIVM member Allison Mack that nearly drew her into the notorious organization. The revelation comes from Dunham's memoir, where she recounts Mack's persistent invitations following an unsuccessful audition for the HBO series Girls.
"I recognized a woman named Allison Mack from Smallville," Dunham wrote. "She wasn't right for any of the roles but invited me via email to her 'intimate women's group' every week for the next year."
The Girls creator, now 39, described the invitations as relentless, though she never named the specific group. The timing and description strongly suggest Mack was recruiting for DOS—NXIVM's secret society where women were allegedly subjected to sexual slavery and branding.
Dunham attributed her avoidance of the group to what she called divine intervention, writing, "There but for the grace of God go I."
This revelation emerges as Mack continues to speak publicly about her involvement with NXIVM, two years after her release from prison. On her podcast Allison After NXIVM, the former Smallville actress detailed her recruitment role within the organization.
"I capitalized on the things I had," Mack admitted. "The success I had as an actor, I did capitalize on that. It was a power tool I had to get people to do what I wanted. I was very effective in moving Keith's vision forward."
Mack described her specific function as spreading NXIVM's message and recruiting new members, particularly leveraging her public profile. "My role, as Allison, because I was so out in the world, was to spread the message and bring new people in and represent what NXIVM is in the public eye," she explained.
The actress, now 43, joined NXIVM in 2006 and eventually became romantically involved with founder Keith Raniere, who is currently serving a 120-year sentence for racketeering, sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, and wire fraud.
Mack revealed that Raniere tasked her with leading "The Source," a curriculum for artists and actors that used acting exercises to "build more compassion" in participants' lives. Later, he recruited her for what would become DOS, describing it as requiring a "lifelong commitment" to help women "push through your greatest fears."
Raniere framed DOS as having a "master-slave dynamic" that would create "completely humble and completely subverted" participants. Mack said she agreed to participate after Raniere convinced her it would eliminate her narcissism.
Reflecting on her 2021 sentencing hearing, where victims called her a "monster," Mack acknowledged her guilt while expressing remorse for her family's experience. "I was thinking, like, 'Oh, my god, my poor brother behind me having to hear this about his sister. My poor mom. I'm so sorry, you guys,'" she recalled. "I don't see myself as innocent, and they were."
Mack was originally sentenced to three years but was released in 2023 after serving two years. Her story serves as a stark reminder of how even successful individuals can become ensnared in—and subsequently perpetuate—destructive organizations.