Kelley Mack’s final film has been released four months after her death, and her performance is nothing short of breathtaking.
Universal, which was released on Friday, December 5, depicts a British couple, researcher Leo (Joe Thomas) and girlfriend Naomi (Rosa Robson), who attempt to enjoy a romantic weekend away in a remote cabin. But things don’t go exactly according to plan after a woman named Ricky (Mack) shows up claiming she “cracked the code” in Leo’s Junk DNA research. Despite his initial hesitation to hear her out, Leo gives Ricky five minutes to explain herself.
“Five minutes turns to half an hour, which then becomes the rest of the day, leading to a lively dinner and a raucous night in the cabin,” per the official synopsis. “The next day, the gravity of the discovery begins to dawn on the three new friends, leading to a dramatic showdown over what to do with this explosive information.”
Ricky uses her time wisely, not hesitating to present Leo with her findings, and the trio wrestles with what to do about the discovery throughout the film. Amid the movie’s release, director Stephen Portland shared a statement on working with Mack prior to her death.
“It brings me immense sadness to write that Kelley Mack, star and executive producer of Universal, passed away on August 2nd, 2025,” he said. “She had been battling a rare form of cancer that had only become apparent a few months after we shot this film.”
“Kelley was a wonderful, kind person and a huge talent, undeniably on a trajectory towards great things and although we’re grateful to have had the chance to work with her and get to know her as a friend, her life being cut so short comes as a tragic loss for us all, 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 huge part of our small film. The film will be released posthumously and dedicated to Kelley.”
A black screen that reads “In loving memory of Kelley Mack” closes out the film before the credits roll.
“Unfortunately, a few months after we shot the film, Kelley discovered she had a rare form of cancer. I’d been in touch with Kelley frequently since filming,” Portland said. “In her capacity as executive producer, she’d been providing regular feedback on rough cuts and helping to plan our strategy. Kelley moved back to her home state of Ohio to receive treatment, but in all our conversations her resilience and confidence shone through, and I was certain she would bounce back. She was determined that her battle with cancer was only going to be a small part of the story of her life.”
Portland noted Kelley’s “contribution to our film cannot be overstated,” adding that he “can feel her absence as strongly as ever.”
The Walking Dead actress’ family announced her death from glioma of the central nervous system on August 2 at age 33. Glioma is a “cancerous (malignant) tumor that forms in your brain or spinal cord. Gliomas can affect children or adults,” per Cleveland Clinic.
“It is with indelible sadness that we are announcing the passing of our dear Kelley,” a statement shared via Instagram at the time read. “Such a bright, fervent light has transitioned to the beyond, where we all eventually must go. Kelley passed peacefully on Saturday evening with her loving mother Kristen and steadfast aunt Karen present. 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 candidly opened up about her health battle in posts shared via Instagram before her death.
“In September, I moved into a new apartment with my boyfriend, Logan. For a month after that, I had persistent lower back pain and thought I slipped a disc,” she captioned a January post. “A few weeks later, I had neuropathic itching in my right quad. And then, the shooting pains in my legs and back began, which resulted in me having to sleep in a recliner for a month because laying down was too painful. On Thanksgiving Eve, 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 type of #astrocytoma #cancer,” the caption continued. “Due to the biopsy surgery on my spinal cord, I have lost the use of my right leg and most of my left leg, so I now get around with a walker and a wheelchair.”
For Mack, filming Universal was a unique and unforgettable experience.
“The character was just so complex and felt different than anything I’d ever played before. I’ve 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 on to it because it was just so unique. … When I read the script, it was very dialogue-heavy and grounded, which I love because I’m always drawn to very grounded scripts. I was like: ‘Wow, this is so much dialogue. It would be such a great challenge and just so much fun.’ And then when I met Stephen, I was like: ‘OK, I see that you have a passion for this, and I really wanted to do it.’”
Universal is available to stream on Amazon and Apple TV.
