The actor Michelle Trachtenberg, known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gossip Girl and Harriet the Spy, has died at the age of 39.
The New York police department confirmed her death in a statement.
The police said they responded to an emergency call at about 8am on Wednesday to One Columbus Place in New York and the actor was later confirmed dead after emergency medical services attended.
Her death is not being treated as suspicious and the police said the medical examiner will determine her cause of death.
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ABC reported that the actor’s mother found her at a New York apartment.
Trachtenberg was a child actor who started her career at the age of three in commercials before featuring in the Nickelodeon show The Adventures of Pete & Pete and the soap opera All My Children.
She later scored her first lead film role in the comedy adventure Harriet the Spy alongside Rosie O’Donnell. Trachtenberg later said the shoot began on her 10th birthday. “There was a lot required of me,” she said in 2021. “I’m extremely grateful for the experience.”
She followed the film with a role in Inspector Gadget next to Matthew Broderick.
A role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer came in 2000 with Trachtenberg cast as Dawn Summers until the show ended three years later.
Later film roles included the teen comedy EuroTrip and Gregg Araki’s acclaimed drama Mysterious Skin. “I’m very proud of that film,” she said. “I was this girl who had done glitzy, PG-themed stuff and here’s Gregg Araki, director of Doom Generation, and we sat down and had a cup of coffee and I said, ‘You’re probably not gonna hire me but this is what I got, this is what I feel. If you’re willing to take the chance, I’m willing to go there with you.’ It was the most exhilarating experience I’ve had as an actress.”
In 2005, she played the lead in Disney drama Ice Princess. She also had a recurring role in HBO’s hit series Six Feet Under.
The next few years saw roles in shows such as House and films such as 2006’s Black Christmas remake before she nabbed the role of Georgina Sparks in the teen drama series Gossip Girl. She later played the character again in 2022’s reboot.
“Georgina is actually my favourite character that I’ve played because she’s such an evil B-I-T-C-H,” she said. “That was fun.”
Trachtenberg’s last big screen role was 2014’s sci-fi thriller The Scribbler, but she does have a project that is yet to be released, a drama called Spyral about mental illness.
Her Gossip Girl costar Ed Westwick paid tribute to her today on Instagram. “So sad to hear of the passing of Michelle Trachtenberg,” he wrote. “Sending prayers.”
Her ex-boyfriend, X-Men star Shawn Ashmore, also paid tribute to her on social media. “Incredibly sad to hear about Michelle’s passing,” he wrote. “She was an incredible person and I will always remember the years we spent together fondly ... This is an incredible loss!”
US comedian Rosie O’Donnell has said the loss of her Harriet The Spy costar is “heartbreaking”. She said in a statement: “Heartbreaking. I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped.”
Several members of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast, including Emma Caulfield, David Boreanaz and James Marsters, paid tribute to “beautiful soul” Trachtenberg.
Caulfield, who portrayed Anya Jenkins in the series, said she had “lost a little sister”. She referred to Trachtenberg as “Mish Mish” in an old photo of the two together which she shared on Instagram. She wrote: “I’m so sorry your bright light died so young. Our Buffy family lost a little sister today. Rest in peace lovely Mish Mish. You were loved.”
Boreanaz said he was “so very sad” as he paid tribute to Trachtenberg. The US actor, who played Angel in the series, shared a tribute on Instagram of a black and white picture of Trachtenberg. He wrote: “So very sad. Horrible news. RIP and prayers to her and her family.”
US actor Marsters described Trachtenberg as “howlingly funny” and “a beautiful soul”. Marsters, who shared a selfie of the two together on Instagram, wrote: “My heart is heavy today. We have lost a beautiful soul. Michelle was fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny, and a very talented person. She died much too young and leaves behind scores of people who knew and loved her.
“My heart goes out to her family who are good people and are suffering the greatest loss anyone could bear. I hope everyone can give them space to heal in this most difficult time. Godspeed Michelle. You are missed.”– Guardian, PA
