Talk:Allison Mack

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Lede

Since the Mack prosecution began, consensus has been loosely established (via a stable lede) that the second paragraph of the lede was the place to put Mack's criminal history. Should the first sentence of the lede be updated to include that she is an "American actor and convicted felon" or some form of that? In a two-paragraph, six-sentence lede, three sentences devoted to her prosecution and conviction seems due to me and to flow better, and makes first sentence mention overkill. Thoughts? Grandpallama (talk) 00:45, 16 September 2021 (UTC)

Second paragraph. The words "convicted felon" should never appear in the first sentence of a biographical article. It adds little or nothing for the reader's understanding to know that a court has entered a judgement of conviction against her without explaining why. (Were you looking up her article to see if you're allowed to sell her a firearm?) A biographical subject's criminal activities should certainly be covered in the lede. In the case of someone known entirely for crime, the criminal activities should be in the second sentence. E.g., for a teacher who sleeps with a student something like "Jane Smith is an American teacher. In 2005 she was convicted of statutory rape of one of her students." For someone like Mack who came to notability before her crime, it belongs in the second paragraph. (1st para: "Allison Mack is an American actress. ..." 2nd para: "Mack was a member of NXIVM ... In 2018 she was arrested ... On September 15, 2021 Mack reported to prison...")

Also, to the editor who is asserting in edit summaries that putting "convicted felon" in the first sentence is standard practice ... it's mostly a standard practice only in articles about subjects that Wikipedia editors look down upon. You won't find "and convicted felon" in the first sentence of whistleblowers like Chelsea Manning and Reality Winner. You don't even find it in the first sentence of notorious gangsters like Al Capone or John Gotti. It's just for people we don't like, which is another reason we shouldn't use it. Vadder (talk) 13:10, 16 September 2021 (UTC)

Also, Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, Chris Brown, Jeffrey Jones, Wesley Snipes, John McTiernan, and so on. When I did a cursory check based on those edit summary claims, I actually had trouble finding other celebrities where this was a first sentence mention (or, in some cases, even a first paragraph mention). Grandpallama (talk) 22:20, 16 September 2021 (UTC)

R Kelly’s page says it in the very first line. 173.2.210.244 (talk) 20:42, 13 November 2023 (UTC)

I wonder if the fact you're replying to a post over two years old might have something to do with that...Grandpallama (talk) 03:36, 22 January 2024 (UTC)

k made the changes since two years have passed (per this logic). 2601:249:8181:91D0:9827:B736:6F14:DFF5 (talk) 05:25, 23 March 2025 (UTC)

Says who? there are many, many biographical entries, often involving former politicians and businesspeople in which the first graph in bio says “former congressman and convicted felon. The reality is that Mack’s acting career is minor compared to her notoriety as a felon and associate of Raniere.

Coastda1952 (talk) 05:57, 13 October 2022 (UTC)

Even by your theory, Mack's current notoriety isn't her status as a felon. It's her being an actress who was involved with NXIVM, followed by a conviction and prison time. Her career is notable enough to belong in the first sentence. Her NXIVM activity and crimes are notable enough to perhaps somehow mention in the first sentence. If consensus develops to put them there, I will not oppose, but I imagine there will be difficulties with how to succinctly word it. The status of being a convicted criminal or felon by itself (separate and apart from the crimes) is not all that notable or why a person is notable, and should generally not be a first-sentence thing. Vadder (talk) 21:36, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

My suggestion would be as the first sentence: "Allison Christin Mack (born July 29, 1982) is an American actress, also known for her involvement in NXIVM, a cult and marketing company." NXIVM is so central for how she is known, that it needs to be mentioned in the first sentence. Lova Falk (talk) 07:48, 24 June 2025 (UTC)

Is Allison Mack a "former" actress?

The lede states that Allison Mack is "an American former actress." Did she officially retire? Unless she publicly retires, how can she be said to be a "former" actress? One of the reasons Mack joined NXIVM in the first place was to become a better actress, so presumably she still had aspirations of future employment. Given the nature of show business, actors can go for years without being involved in a production seen by the public; simply being unemployed does not connote retirement status. Likewise, being incarcerated does not remove her aspirational vocation. Currently, it would seem, she's an unemployed, incarcerated actress, but not yet a "former" actress. Petzl (talk) 21:58, 1 January 2023 (UTC)

It doesn't make sense to call her a "former actress" until reliable sources start reporting that. The word former should be removed. Vadder (talk) 17:33, 30 July 2023 (UTC)

She's at least "former" while she's in prison. She's not acting while in prison, so "former" fits pretty easily, at least temporarily. After being released, she will also not be acting anymore, as is evidenced by other sexual abusers convicted in the past (as well as common sense). Bill Cosby is a former comedian. Diddy is a former rapper. Whenever they get released, their careers are over. Everyone knows this besides wiki editors. Please cite an instance of a convicted sexual abuser who then continued their career in entertainment after being released. The burden of proof is on anyone who's arguing that it should *not* be former, as common sense and precedent dictates the convicted's career is over. 2601:249:8181:91D0:9827:B736:6F14:DFF5 (talk) 05:21, 23 March 2025 (UTC)

You are placing special emphasis on this particular case. Persons accused, and convicted, of serious crimes do at times resume their careers afterward. Hell, the forty-fifth president of the United States committed treason against the nation by orchestrating an overthrow of its federal government, then went on to be elected president again. Commando303 (talk) 15:15, 13 August 2025 (UTC)

Please note that User:140.177.118.171 (blocked at this time for tripping an edit filter), has been repeatedly re-adding "former" to the lead. I propose that we remove it again, and possibly add this to the note asking editors to discuss first. Vadder (talk) 19:42, 28 September 2025 (UTC)

@Vadder: It was unsourced content in a biography of a living person. Such material is to be removed on sight. Please remove it if the IP repeats the edit, and request page protection at WP:RFPP if they persist. Cambial — foliar❧ 20:15, 28 September 2025 (UTC)

updates to convicted felin

I'ts a fact she was convicted for three years with charges of racketeering, thus i added "convixted felon" rightfully. 181.209.144.147 (talk) 14:45, 6 December 2023 (UTC)

There's a discussion at the top of this page. Please join it and discuss this. Your edit was premature, as we haven't reached a conclusion. It was definitely out of order for you to remove the note about the discussion. Vadder (talk) 21:33, 15 December 2023 (UTC)

She's divorced. In fact section only lists married date

It should list divorce date as stated lower in text. 2603:8000:6A00:1112:FC30:80FF:FE6A:320D (talk) 00:39, 12 March 2025 (UTC)

You are quite right, and I have added divorce. I don't know which year though, do you have a source that says year of divorce? Lova Falk (talk) 06:43, 12 March 2025 (UTC)

There is no source in the article saying she is in fact divorced, nor could I find one today. In the United States court system, filing for divorce does not guarantee that one will actually get divorced, even if that is their intention. If she didn't follow up on the filing with further court activity, the divorce probably did not happen. If she did and the divorce was finalized, then we should list it here, but we need a source. Do you have a source that says the divorce was actually finalized, and when? Vadder (talk) 17:46, 12 March 2025 (UTC)

Effect of the NXIVM sex cult scandal on Smallville re-runs due to Allison Mack being very prominent in the series

e.g. am pretty certain that one Cable re-run in Britain was immediately halted and the series has never been re-run there at all since after the scandal broke and it was directly in response to the scandal. (This unsigned comment was written by ip editor 82.16.72.221)

If you can find a good source confirming this, please be bold and add this information to the article. Lova Falk (talk) 13:20, 13 August 2025 (UTC)

Former actress

I have listened to all episodes of the podcast "Allison after NXIVM", and Allison is very much a former actress now. She is studying and planning for a completely different career. I can't find a good source for this yet, but I'll guess there soon will be one. Lova Falk (talk) 19:17, 14 November 2025 (UTC)