American actress Kelley Mack has died at the age of 33 following a battle with glioma of the central nervous system, her family has confirmed.
The performer, who portrayed Addy in the ninth series of AMC’s The Walking Dead, passed away on Saturday in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she was born.
Her family announced the news through a statement on Tuesday, with her sister writing on the actress’s Instagram account: “It is with indelible sadness that we are announcing the passing of our dear Kelley. Such a bright, fervent light has transitioned to the beyond, where we all eventually must go.”
The post revealed that Mack “passed peacefully on Saturday evening with her loving mother Kristen and steadfast aunt Karen present.”
Elsewhere in the statement, Mack’s family noted: “Her vibrant spirit, creative passion and dedication to storytelling left an indelible mark on those who knew her and the audiences she captivated through her work.”
Her sister added that Mack “would want you all to know how much she loves you,” describing her as brave and expressing pride in her courage.
Several of Mack’s TWD castmates took to the comments of the post to share their messages of condolence. “What an incredible human. So proud to have fought alongside her in our final episode together,” Alanna Masterson wrote.
Meanwhile, Anthony Michael Lopez wrote: “My deepest condolences, Kelley was such a sweet and happy soul and I’m happy to have met her. She fought so hard. Sending her and your family lots of light and love. Rest easy Kelley.” (sic)
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Mack appeared in five episodes of The Walking Dead during its 2018-19 series, playing a resident of the Hilltop Colony. Her character was amongst eleven people taken by the Whisperers in the series finale.
The actress also featured in television programmes including 9-1-1 in 2019 and Chicago Med in 2022, where she portrayed Penelope Jacobs in the eighth series.
Her voice acting work included serving as the vocal match for Hailee Steinfeld’s character Gwen Stacy in the Academy Award-winning animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. She later reprised this voice role for a 2024 Hyundai Ionic advertisement.
Throughout her career, Mack accumulated 35 acting credits and five producer credits, demonstrating her versatility across multiple entertainment mediums.
Mack’s passion for storytelling began in childhood when she received a mini video camera as a birthday present.
She started performing in adverts as a youngster and won recognition from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for her performance in The Elephant Garden in 2008.
After completing her secondary education at Hinsdale Central High School in Illinois in 2010, she pursued a degree in cinematography at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film, graduating in 2014.
Her commercial appearances included campaigns for Dr Pepper, Budweiser, Dairy Queen and Chick-fil-A. She featured alongside her mother in a Rakuten advert.
Mack’s film credits encompassed Broadcast Signal Intrusion, Delicate Arch and the forthcoming Universal, for which she served as executive producer.
The actress is survived by her parents, Kristen and Lindsay Klebenow, siblings Kathryn and Parker, grandparents Lois and Larry Klebenow, and her boyfriend Logan Lanier.
A memorial service has been scheduled for August 16 at 1pm at the Glendale Lyceum in Glendale, Ohio. The family is also arranging a celebration of her life in Los Angeles for friends and colleagues at a future date.