Michelle Trachtenberg, the beloved actress who rose to prominence with roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, passed away at 39. Tributes poured in from her fans, Hollywood peers, and co-stars, who fondly remembered her life and legacy.
Trachtenberg was found dead in her New York City apartment on February 26 by her mother, who immediately called emergency services. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of her death, but ABC reports she recently underwent a liver transplant that may have caused complications.
Trachtenberg started acting at the young age of three, and she appeared in numerous commercials before landing her first major role in the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. She made her major film acting debut in Harriet the Spy and went on to star in many hit films and TV shows during the 2000s.
Most people remember Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Georgina Sparks from Gossip Girl. Her filmography also includes the films EuroTrip, Mysterious Skin, Ice Princess, and 17 Again, along with TV shows Mercy and Weeds.
Many of Trachtenberg’s co-stars paid tribute to the late actress on social media, including Ed Westwick, Chace Crawford, Kim Cattrall, Rosie O’Donnell, and David Boreanaz. Gossip Girl star Blake Lively wrote an emotional tribute in her honor, describing her as someone who was “fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved” and “big and bold and distinctly herself.”
