Michelle Trachtenberg Dead At 39

NEW YORK — Michelle Trachtenberg, who made her name as a child actress in "Harriet the Spy" and went on to star in the hit teen dramas "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Gossip Girl," is dead at 39.

Police responded to a 911 call shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday at a luxury residential tower in Midtown where "officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive," according to a police statement. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. No foul play was suspected and the New York Medical Examiner is investigating the cause of death, police said.

Trachtenberg had recently undergone a liver transplant and was discovered by her mother, the New York Post reported, attributing the information to police sources. She is believed to have died from natural causes, according to ABC News, citing police sources.

"Michelle Trachtenberg was a talented, whip-smart actress who brought a sharp, inner vibrancy to her characters, whether in Harriet The Spy, Gossip Girl, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, or Eurotrip," film critic Courtney Howard wrote in a post on X. "She also embraced the fandom of the projects she was a part of."

Before landing the title role in "Harriet the Spy," Trachtenberg appeared on Nickelodeon shows like "Clarissa Explains it All" and "The Adventures of Pete and Pete," as well as more adult fare, including "Law & Order" and "All My Children."

After her turn on "Buffy" as little sister Dawn Summers, she went on to star in the films "EuroTrip," "Ice Princess" and "17 Again."

Trachtenberg thanked "Buffy" star Sarah Michelle Gellar for speaking out against Joss Whedon in 2021, following abuse allegations made against the “Buffy” showrunner.

“I am brave enough now as a 35-year-old woman to repost this,” she wrote on social media, and alluded to “his not appropriate behavior” she experienced as a teenage actor.

She also played the scheming antagonist Georgina Sparks on "Gossip Girl" throughout its run from 2008-2012, and reprised the role for the show's 2021 revival.

In 2001, she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for hosting Discovery’s “Truth or Scare.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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