Michelle Trachtenberg has died at the age of 39. Sources say the actress was found by her mother around 8 a.m. on Wednesday at One Columbus Place, a high-end apartment complex in Manhattan. Insiders revealed that Trachtenberg had undergone a liver transplant in recent months.
It is suspected that her body may have rejected the transplant, which she received within the past year. Authorities said that no foul play is suspected in her death. "It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time," her rep Gary Mantoosh said in a statement.
Heartbreaking Final Post
The NYPD confirmed that Trachtenberg was found "unconscious and unresponsive" by officers and was later pronounced dead by EMS personnel. Her death is not considered suspicious.
On February 18, Trachtenberg posted a throwback photo on Instagram, featuring a close-up of herself on the red carpet. Trachtenberg captioned the picture, "I wanted to look like naughty #tinkerbell #throwback ⚡️."
A few days earlier, the actress posted what would be her final selfie.
In the photo, Trachtenberg wore a blue sweater featuring a tiger design, paired with a silver necklace and black eyeliner. Sunglasses rested on top of her head as she looked directly into the camera.
She captioned the post, "Eye of the Tiger ."
Fans quickly filled the comments with admiration and support, with one writing, "Will never stop complimenting your eyes✨ gorgeous as per usual Michelle!"
"QUEEN," another follower wrote.
"Just curious, Are you going to be in the Buffy sequal?," one wrote, while another echoed those sentiments, stating, "Would absolutely LOVEEEE to see you as Dawn in the Buffy reboot! Forever a Dawn defender, and I think fans would be sad not getting updates on her and seeing her once again."
"Can't wait to see you in the Buffy revival!!!!!!!!! Sending you light and blessings!!!"
Troubled Final Days
However, at the time of her passing, there was no official confirmation regarding Trachtenberg's involvement. Meanwhile, some fans in the comments section brought up her 2004 film EuroTrip.
"Where's eurotrip 2," they wrote. "The world needs it."
In January, Trachtenberg addressed fan concerns over her thin frame, assuring then that she was "happy and healthy" and had never undergone plastic surgery. However, she didn't say if she was suffering from drug abuse.
Trachtenberg landed her first credited role at just nine years old on the 1990s Nickelodeon series "The Adventures of Pete and Pete," where she played Nona F. Mecklenberg.
She later starred in several children's films and TV shows, making her big-screen debut in 1996 as the lead character in "Harriet the Spy."
As she grew older, Trachtenberg transitioned to more mature roles, including a three-year run as Dawn Summers, the younger sister of the titular heroine in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." She also portrayed the cunning and scheming antagonist Georgina Sparks on "Gossip Girl," a series that spanned six seasons.
In 2021, Trachtenberg made bombshell allegations against "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator and "Avengers" director Joss Whedon, who was 55 at the time.
She claimed he had been physically abused her during the filming of the show and alleged that a "rule" was enforced on set to prevent him from being alone with her in a room. She shared these claims in a cryptic Instagram post.
Whedon later refuted the allegations in an interview with New York Magazine.
On her last birthday, October 11, Trachtenberg shared a glamorous photo on Instagram with the caption, "39 and I'm feeling fiiiiiine," which received over 32,000 likes.
