Kelley Mack’s latest film is released four months after Death From Glioma

Kelley Mack‘s last film was released four months after her death and her performance is nothing short of breathtaking.

Universalwhich was released on Friday, December 5, features a British couple, researcher Leo (Joe Thomas) and friend Naomi (Rosa Robson), trying to enjoy a romantic weekend getaway in a remote cabin. But things don’t go quite to plan after a woman named Ricky (Mack) shows up and claims she’s “cracked the code” in Leo’s Junk DNA research. Despite his initial hesitation to listen to her, Leo gives Ricky five minutes to explain himself.

“Five minutes turns into half an hour, which then becomes the rest of the day, leading to a lively dinner and a raucous night in the cabin,” according to the official synopsis. “The next day, the gravity of the discovery begins to dawn on the three new friends, leading to a dramatic confrontation over what to do with this explosive information.”

Using her time wisely, Ricky doesn’t hesitate to present Leo with her findings, and the trio struggle throughout the film with what to do with the discovery. Amid the film’s release, director Stefan Portland shared a statement about working with Mack prior to her death.

“I am deeply saddened to report that Kelley Mack, star and executive producer of Universal, passed away on August 2, 2025,” he said. “She was battling a rare form of cancer that only became apparent a few months after shooting this film.”

“Kelley was a wonderful, kind person and a tremendous talent, undeniably on her way to great things. While we are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her and get to know her as a friend, her life being cut so short comes as a tragic loss to all of us, and we will miss her terribly,” the statement continued. “We will remember Kelley’s warmth, laughter and generosity on set, and we will always be grateful to her for being such a big part of our little movie. The film will be released posthumously and dedicated to Kelley.”

A black screen reading “In loving memory of Kelley Mack” ends the film before the credits begin.

“Unfortunately, a few months after we shot the film, Kelley discovered she had a rare form of cancer. I had been in regular contact with Kelley since filming,” Portland said. “In her capacity as executive producer, she provided regular feedback on major budget cuts and helped plan our strategy. Kelley moved back to her home state of Ohio to receive treatment, but in all our conversations her resilience and confidence shined through, and I was confident she would return. She was determined that her battle with cancer would be just a small part of the story of her life.”

Portland noted that Kelley’s “contribution to our film cannot be overstated,” adding that he “can feel her absence as strongly as ever.”

The Walking dead The actress’ family announced her death on August 2 at the age of 33 due to a central nervous system glioma. Glioma is a “cancerous (malignant) tumor that forms in your brain or spinal cord. Gliomas can affect children or adults,” according to Cleveland Clinic.

“It is with indelible sadness that we announce the passing of our dear Kelley,” said a statement shared via Instagram at the time. “Such a bright, fiery light has passed on to the afterlife, where we all must eventually go. Kelley passed away peacefully Saturday evening in the presence of her loving mother Kristen and steadfast Aunt Karen. Kelley has already come to many of her loved ones in the form of various butterflies 🦋 ❤️. She will be missed by so many to depths that words cannot express.”

Mack opened up candidly about her health struggles in posts shared via Instagram before her death.

“In September, I moved into a new apartment with my boyfriend Logan. A month after that, I had persistent lower back pain and thought I had slipped a disc,” she wrote in a January post. “A few weeks later, I developed neuropathic itching in my right quad. And then the shooting pains started in my legs and back, which led to me having to sleep in a recliner for a month because lying down was too painful. On Thanksgiving night, I had emergency MRIs done at the hospital, which revealed an abnormal mass in my spinal cord.”

“I have been diagnosed with #diffusemidlineglioma, an extremely rare form of #astrocytomacancer,” the caption continued. “The spinal cord biopsy operation has left me with the use of my right leg and most of my left leg, so I now use a walker and a wheelchair to get around.”

For Mack, filming at Universal was a unique and unforgettable experience.

“The character was so complex and felt unlike anything I had ever played before. I have never read a script like this,” she said in a statement before her death. “And I had talked to Joe and Rosa about this before, and that’s the reason they both signed up for it, because it was just so unique. … When I read the script, it was very dialogue-heavy and grounded, which I like because I’m always drawn to very grounded scripts. I thought, ‘Wow, this is so much dialogue. It would be such a great challenge and just so much fun.’ And when I met Stephen, I was like, “Okay, I see you’re passionate about this, and I really wanted to do it.”

Universal is available to stream on Amazon and Apple TV.