Michelle Trachtenberg, the actress famous for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, has passed away at the age of 39.
Born on October 11, 1985, in New York, Trachtenberg began her acting career early. At just 3 years old, she started appearing in commercials, and by the mid-1990s, she made her TV debut in the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. By the age of 10, she landed her first lead role in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy, where she starred alongside Rosie O’Donnell and J. Smith-Cameron.
Trachtenberg’s big break came when she joined the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 2000. She played Dawn Summers, the younger sister of Buffy, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar. Trachtenberg appeared in the show from its fifth season until its conclusion in 2003.
Her success continued with another popular teen drama, Gossip Girl, where she played the notorious character Georgina Sparks. The show aired from 2007 to 2012, and Trachtenberg’s character regularly clashed with Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) and Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester). She returned briefly for the 2022 reboot on HBO Max.
Trachtenberg’s career spanned both film and television, with roles in movies like the 2004 comedy Eurotrip, the 2005 family film Ice Princess, and the 2009 film 17 Again, starring Zac Efron and Matthew Perry.
She also appeared in TV shows such as Law & Order, Clarissa Explains It All, All My Children, Six Feet Under, and Weeds.
Trachtenberg was found unresponsive in her Manhattan apartment on Wednesday, according to the New York City Police Department. She had recently undergone a liver transplant. Although the cause of death has not been confirmed, authorities have stated that foul play is not suspected.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene just after 8 a.m. and pronounced her dead. Her publicist, Gary Mantoosh, confirmed the news, asking for privacy for the family during this difficult time.
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