Michelle Trachtenberg, of 'Gossip Girl' and 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' died aged 39
Michelle Trachtenberg, an actress who came to prominence as a bright child star in "Harriet the Spy" and went on to have memorable appearances on TV programs such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Gossip Girl," has died, according to New York City police. She was 39.
On Wednesday, shortly after 8 a.m. local time, police responded to a 911 call and discovered an unconscious and unresponsive lady inside a Manhattan apartment. A spokeswoman for the New York Police Department later recognized her as Trachtenberg.
Paramedics pronounced her dead on the scene. The cause of death is being investigated by the New York Medical Examiner, and no foul play is suspected, according to authorities.
"Criminality is not suspected," the NYPD stated in a statement, adding that the investigation is still underway. The Medical Examiner will determine Trachtenberg's official cause of death.
Earlier on Wednesday, an NYPD source said that Trachtenberg had a recent medical condition and received a liver transplant. Her death looked to be due to natural causes and not suspicious.
Trachtenberg was eight years old when she began playing Nona Mecklenberg on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Pete & Pete Nona from 1994 to 1996, and she later starred in the cinematic versions of Harriet the Spy and Inspector Gadget, with Matthew Broderick.
In 1996, she played Harriet Welsch, an 11-year-old who scrupulously notes her observations about neighbors and classmates in "Harriet the Spy," a film based on Louise Fitzhugh's renowned 1964 children's novel of the same name. The film also included Rosie O'Donnell as Harriet's babysitter, Ole Golly.
Her major break came when she was cast as Dawn, Sarah Michelle Gellar's younger sister, on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" from 2000 to 2003. In 2001, she was nominated for Best TV Sidekick at the Teen Choice Awards.
Trachtenberg also played Casey Carlyle, the protagonist of the 2005 figure skating film "Ice Princess." Other credits include the 2004 raunchy adolescent comedy "Eurotrip" and the 2009 comedy "17 Again," starring Zac Efron and Matthew Perry.
In 2007, the actress appeared in the music video for Fall Out Boy's smash song "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race".
Trachtenberg has also appeared on a variety of television series, including "Mercy," "Weeds," and, earlier in her career, "Truth or Scare." She has a minor role in HBO's "Gossip Girl" revival in 2022.
Her cinematic credits include "EuroTrip", "17 Again," and "The Scribbler."
It is unknown what she was working on at the time of her death, although Trachtenberg was active on social media. In the last week, she has shared photographs from prior red carpet appearances and pondered on fashion.
“A memory, a magical night in #newyork. I remember feeling like Cinderella,” she wrote on one post roughly a week ago. “Wishing everyone an ethereal weekend.”
