In a chilling discovery that has sent social media into a tailspin, old tweets have surfaced showing Smallville actress Allison Mack repeatedly reaching out to Emma Watson in an attempt to recruit her into the Nxivm organization.
Long before the world knew the dark truth behind Keith Raniere’s alleged “sex cult,” Mack was active on X (formerly Twitter), using her status as a fellow actress to bait the Harry Potter star under the guise of female empowerment and “change-making.”
In a series of messages unearthed by Insider, Mack first targeted Watson, who is now , back in January .
“.@EmWatson I’m a fellow actress like yourself & involved in an amazing women’s movement I think you’d dig. I’d love to chat if you’re open,” Mack tweeted to the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador.
When Watson didn’t respond, Mack doubled down just one month later. In February , she wrote: “.@EmWatson I participate in a unique human development & women’s movement I’d love to tell you about. As a fellow actress I can relate so well to your vision.”
The persistence didn’t stop there. By March of that year, Mack was still trying to get Watson’s attention, tweeting: “Would love to chat with a fellow change-maker! InternationalWomensDay.”
Watson wasn’t the only superstar on Mack’s radar. The actress also famously reached out to Kelly Clarkson in , citing a “grapevine” rumor that the singer was a fan of Smallville.
The resurfaced tweets have sparked a wave of “thank goodness” reactions from fans on TikTok and Instagram, many of whom are breathing a sigh of relief that Watson never replied to the star.
The reveal comes as the public grapples with the details of Mack’s arrest on charges of sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy, and forced labor.
According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mack was allegedly a high-ranking “master” within the Nxivm pyramid, reporting directly to leader Keith Raniere. She is accused of requiring “slaves” to engage in sexual activity with the leader in exchange for various benefits.
While Watson appears to have ignored the bait entirely, others saw Mack’s tactics firsthand and felt the immediate “red flags.”
Writer and yoga instructor Jennifer Pastiloff told PEOPLE exclusively that she became wary after Mack began emailing her about “intensive workshops.”
“My radar went off when she wrote that these workshops would help me ‘close some gaps you may be finding,’” Pastiloff told PEOPLE. “I remember thinking there was something weird about this, something sketchy. To me, what she was talking about sounded like a cult.”
Mack, who pleaded not guilty during her arraignment in New York City, faces a minimum of years in prison if convicted on all charges.
As the true nature of Nxivm continues to unfold, these public tweets serve as a haunting reminder of how close some of Hollywood’s biggest names came to a dark and dangerous controversy.
