Actress Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in shows like Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has reportedly died. Police sources confirmed Trachtenberg’s death to the New York Post Wednesday. The Post’s source did not disclose a date or possible cause of death, but said that her passing is not being investigated as suspicious. The actress was 39.
Details of Trachtenberg’s death remain unclear at the moment, but ABC 7, citing police sources, reported that the actress’ mother found Trachtenberg dead in her New York City apartment just after 8 a.m. Wednesday. Her cause and manner of death are pending an autopsy, but the outlet reported that Trachtenberg recently underwent a liver transplant and may have experienced complications in the days preceding her death.
The actress had sparked concerns in recent months after she posted photos with what fans described as a different appearance. Later responding to those questioning her health and appearance, Trachtenberg said, “I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.”
The Brooklyn native was best known for her portrayal of Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) younger sister Dawn Summers in 66 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer spanning 2000 until 2003, but she got began her acting career years earlier in commercials at the age of 3, per her IMDb profile. After continuing to act and dance through her school year, she rose to fame as a child star in the ‘90s when she landed the recurring role of Nona Mecklenberg in the sitcom The Adventures of Pete & Pete, a role she held from 1994 until 1996. That same decade, she landed one of her most memorable roles, sixth-grade student and aspiring writer and spy Harriet in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy.
After appearing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, 2005’s Ice Princesses, and the 2006 horror film Black Christmas, Trachtenberg starred as Georgina Sparks, aka “’The Witch of the Upper East Side,” in Gossip Girl. The actress appeared in 28 episodes of The CW teen soap from 2008 until 2012, and reprised the role in the second season of HBO’s Gossip Girl reboot, which marked her most recent acting credit.
Trachtenberg’s other credits include EuroTrip, 17 Again, Weeds, Criminal Minds, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Robot Chicken. In 2021, she also executive produced and hosted the 13-episode true-crime docuseries Meet, Marry, Murder for Tubi TV.
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