
Kelley Mack's career: the film and television work that defined the star lost to glioma
Live Events
Behind the camera
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Actress Kelley Mack , best known for her role as Addy in AMC's The Walking Dead , has died at the age of 33 on August 2 following a battle with glioma , a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer affecting the central nervous system.Her family confirmed the news in an emotional statement posted on Instagram:'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.'Born Kelley Lynne Klebenow on July 10, 1992, in Cincinnati, Mack began her journey in front of the camera as a child, acting in commercials.While many fans knew her from The Walking Dead , where her character was abducted by the Whisperers in Season 9, her artistic contributions spanned a wide range of projects in television, film, and even animation.Her television credits include appearances in 9-1-1, Chicago, and Schooled, the spinoff of Modern Family. On the indie film circuit, she starred in titles such as Broadcast Signal Intrusion opposite Harry Shum Jr., Mr. Manhattan, and Universal , a yet-to-be-released feature in which she also served as executive producer.Mack was a creative force behind the scenes as well. Her 2016 short film A Knock at the Door, which she produced, won the Festival Award at the Atlanta Horror Film Festival and was nominated for two FilmQuest awards. She wrote, directed, and edited the short film Positive in 2005, and previously worked as a cinematographer on The Kingdom (2014).She also ventured into voice acting , contributing as a match voice for Gwen Stacy, the character played by Hailee Steinfeld in the Oscar-winning animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse A memorial service will be held on August 16 at the Glendale Lyceum in Glendale, Ohio, near her hometown. A separate celebration of her life is also being planned in Los Angeles by friends and collaborators in the film industry.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Leo Horoscope Today, 8th August 2025: Rely on patience, not impulse today
Synopsis Leo Horoscope Today, 8th August 2025: Ketu is in your sign, Leo. Mercury is retrograde; your introspection is necessary. Your impulsive moves can backfire. You should think twice before reacting, especially in career or relationships. ET Online Leo Horoscope Today: Rely on patience, not impulse today Disclaimer Statement: This content is authored by a 3rd party. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated, and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein.


Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Brandon Blackstock cause of death revealed: Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband dies at 48, singer ‘devastated'
Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, has died, his family and rep confirmed. He was 48. Blackstock had reportedly been battling melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, and, according to TMZ, spent his final days in hospice care. His death comes just weeks after Kelly faced backlash for abruptly cancelling her Las Vegas residency, citing 'personal reasons' at the time without revealing the real cause. Also read: Kelly Clarkson seeks divorce from husband of nearly 7 years 'It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,' his management company posted late at night on Instagram. Alongside a photo, they wrote, 'Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time.' Earlier, Clarkson, without revealing details, had said she cancelled her residency because the father of her children was 'ill' and she needed to focus on her family. 'While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children's father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them,' Clarkson wrote on Instagram Wednesday night. 'I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows, and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.' Melanoma is a serious skin cancer that begins in melanocytes. These are the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour. It can also develop in the eyes and often starts on skin damagecd by too much sun exposure. While the exact cause isn't fully known, ultraviolet (UV) light is a major reason behind. The risk increases for people over 40. Also read: 'Kardashian gang' Beyoncé, JLo, and Lauren Sanchez accused of 'naked racism' against white women; Megyn Kelly defends Sydney Sweeney as a 'natural beauty' Kelly and Brandon married in 2013, back when he was her talent manager and his father, Narvel Blackstock, ran the company that also managed her. Clarkson filed for divorce in 2020, and after a long, messy court battle, it was finalised in 2022. The marriage had already been on shaky ground, something the singer had hinted at before, but she still kept a united front for the family. After his death, a source told Page Six, 'When she found out he was sick, she stayed protective of him for the kids' sake. Kelly has always kept it classy. Earlier this year, it became clear Brandon wasn't doing well. She's been devastated for the kids.' Kelly was granted primary custody, but was still ordered to pay $115,000 a month in spousal support until January 2024, along with a hefty one-time settlement. Brandon Blackstock's family business managed big country stars like Blake Shelton and Carly Pearce. Narvel was married to Reba McEntire for 26 years. Kelly Clarkson first met Blackstock back in 2006 at the Academy of Country Music Awards. They met again in 2012 at the Super Bowl, where Kelly sang the national anthem. A year later, they got married. Though their marriage faced a lot of ups and downs, Blackstock's illness was kept so private that most people even some who worked with Kelly, didn't know what was going on


Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
Beyond the joke: how the growth in India's comedy industry pays the bill for its crew
The Indian comedy industry has grown tenfold since 2018, with top comedians earning up to ₹25 crore annually from ticket sales, corporate gigs, and brand endorsements. This growth has created more jobs for editors, producers, managers, scriptwriters, and cameramen, all now earning competitive pay instead of working on barter. Comedy show producers now make between ₹50 lakh and ₹3 crore a year, and managers—who typically take 10% of a comedian's earnings—see their incomes rise as the comic's popularity does. Young professionals are increasingly attracted to these behind-the-scenes roles. Take Sohail Abbas, a 21-year-old cinematographer, who has filmed shows for major comics like Ravi Gupta, Harsh Gujaral, and Anubhav Singh Bassi. 'When it all started, the revenue opportunities in this space were minimal, but after the live comedy industry blew up post covid, the earnings for cinematographers, photographers, and creative visionaries like me have grown at least five times," he said. He highlighted how YouTube and Instagram boost comedians' visibility. As per Saksham Mishra, a talent manager at production and talent management agency Oriole Entertainment, 30-40% of comedians' income comes from social media content. Photographers and videographers help comics produce polished content, attracting wider audiences and brand deals. Editor Harshal Sharma, 24, shifted from the wedding video industry to comedy editing in August 2024. "Comedy, when performed on stage, is very different and raw from how it appears on YouTube videos. That is because the shows can go up to 2-2.5 hours, but the edited version that is uploaded on YouTube ranges between 20 and 40 minutes." An editor needs to present the funniest moments of the show in a seamless way to attract more audience to the comic's live shows, Sharma said. He edits 5-6 videos a month, making ₹50,000-70,000—triple his earlier income. Industry growth In 2018, an IIM Ahmedabad report valued Indian stand-up at ₹30 crore with 25% annual growth. Between 2016 and 2018, the scene was chaotic, with talent managers working on barters. Expansion into Tier 2 and 3 cities changed that. 'Regional content and the reach of mobile internet have fuelled expansion into Tier 2 and 3 cities, making comedy accessible and aspirational well beyond the metros," said Oriole's Saksham Mishra. Artists now perform in regional languages like Punjabi, Gujarati, Haryanvi, and Kannada, apart from English and Hindi, and regional crew members benefit from more jobs. Digital platforms and youth preferences have fuelled growth. 'Platforms like YouTube and Instagram, along with OTT services, have let comics like Zakir Khan, Anubhav Singh Bassi, Harsh Gujral, and Ravi Gupta build massive fanbases directly," Mishra explained. Many first became popular online before selling out theatres. The demand for escapism is rising exponentially, fuelling the growth of the entertainment industry overall, said Asish Pherwani, partner at consulting firm Ernst and Young, who tracks the media and entertainment sector. "Almost 80% of a viewer's screen time is spent on entertainment content, and comedy is one genre that is doing extremely well within that category. Due to this high demand for comedic content, this industry is attracting a lot of young talent in different roles. Despite facing hiccups, I believe this industry will continue to grow and provide more employment as its demand is on the rise," he said. Also read | Influencers' quiet quitting—when the likes don't pay for the rentStatistically, the broader media and entertainment sector in India was valued at ₹2.5 trillion ($29.4 billion) in 2024 and is projected to reach ₹2.7 trillion in 2025 and ₹3.1 trillion by 2027. "Within that, digital media has surged to become the largest segment, contributing 32% of total revenues in 2024. The events and experiential segment, which includes live comedy, grew 15% in 2024 and crossed the ₹100 billion mark for the first time," said Preranaa Khatri, chief business officer at talent management agency Only Much Louder (OML). More specific to comedy, data suggests a 29% jump in industry revenue in 2021, and India's stand-up and sketch content has seen explosive growth on streaming platforms and YouTube, with many comedians reaching hundreds of millions of views and subscribers. "The combination of script deals, individual global tours, and digital-first launches has helped convert niche creators from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities into mainstream earners," Khatri noted. She added that this growth is marked not just by the number of comedians, but also by the scale of investment pouring into the genre, and the sector is expected to rival the US and UK markets in the next few years. "With the media and entertainment industry expected to grow at nearly 10% annually, reaching $73.6 billion by 2027, the comedy sector is poised to benefit massively from this growth," Khatri said. Also read | Internships to jobs: IIMs see surge in offers as startups, NGOs step up Young audiences have driven up demand for live shows. 'Average ticket prices have leapt from ₹300 pre-2018 to ₹3,000 or more now, and the top comics regularly command crowds of 10,000 or more at major shows. Income for leading acts has grown as much as 50 times, with the best now earning ₹10-25 crore annually, mostly from ticketed shows, and about 20-30% from corporate gigs and brand work," said Mishra. Revenue now mainly comes from live shows, with additional earnings from social media and brand partnerships. Support professionals also now earn ₹1-3 crore annually, working with top comedians. According to Mishra, jobs behind the scenes have increased 10-20 times, especially for people in their 20s and 30s. More venues Many comedians perform at open mics, which are mostly free for audiences, to test the waters before ticketed shows. Ujjwal Kala, cofounder of Hideout Comedy Club in Delhi, recalled that around 2020, there were only one or two dedicated venues for open mics in Delhi that charged comics around ₹300 per act of roughly five minutes. Comedians also requested café owners to host shows on barter deals. Kala added, 'Today, there are about 15 dedicated comedy rooms in Delhi NCR, with three to four shows daily. These venues are expanding to Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Tier 2 and 3 cities." Emerging comics pay ₹100-300 to perform at open mics, and venues offer recording services for a fee. 'The most premium venues charge established comedians up to ₹12,000," he said. Also read | Why influencer management firms are looking within to enhance brand performance Despite the growth, the industry faces challenges. 'Censorship, backlash over controversial material, show cancellations, and unpredictable venue rules are real risks," Oriole's Mishra noted. 'Top comics enjoy unprecedented success, but newcomers face low pay, heavy competition, and a widening gap between stars and struggling comics." Additional hurdles include high costs, licensing issues, and regulatory uncertainty.