Michelle Trachtenberg
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Michelle Christine Trachtenberg, born October 11, 1985, left us on February 26, 2025. An American actress, her journey in the spotlight began at the tender age of three, gracing commercials before making her television debut on Nickelodeon's *The Adventures of Pete & Pete*. Her feature film debut followed in 1996 with the beloved comedy *Harriet the Spy*.
As a child star, Trachtenberg shone in numerous Nickelodeon productions. In 1997, her talent was recognized with a Young Artist Award for her work on the CBS sitcom *Meego*. She also brought Penny Brown to life in Disney's 1999 film *Inspector Gadget*.
Her career reached new heights with her role as Dawn Summers, the younger sister of the title character, in the supernatural drama *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* (2000–2003). This iconic part earned her another Young Artist Award and three Saturn Award nominations. She also lent her voice to the Discovery Kids series *Truth or Scare* (2001–2003), earning a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her hosting duties.
In her late teens and early twenties, Trachtenberg continued to captivate audiences. She starred in the hit film *EuroTrip* (2004) and became the unforgettable Georgina Sparks on The CW's *Gossip Girl* (2008–2012). The mid-2000s also saw her in the film *Ice Princess* (2005) and supporting roles in *Mysterious Skin* (2004) and *Black Christmas* (2006). Her versatility extended to *17 Again* and the NBC series *Mercy* (2009–2010).
The 2010s saw Trachtenberg excel in television films like *Killing Kennedy* (2013) and *Sister Cities* (2015), as well as the science fiction film *The Scribbler* (2014). She provided the lead voice for Judy in Facebook Watch's animated web series *Human Kind Of* (2018) and also took on executive producer roles for the teen drama *Guidance* (2015–2017) and Tubi's true crime series *Meet, Marry, Murder* (2021).
Born in New York City to Lana and Michael Trachtenberg, Michelle was the daughter of Jewish immigrants from Germany and Odesa, Ukraine. Her mother's background influenced her, with Michelle even learning some Russian for a role. Her father passed away in late 2013, and her grandparents resided in Israel. She had an older sister, Irene.
Raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Michelle attended The Bay Academy for the Arts and Sciences before her family relocated to Los Angeles, where she studied at Notre Dame High School. She bravely shared her experiences of being bullied in school and was a youth representative for an anti-drug campaign alongside President Bill Clinton.
Trachtenberg’s professional journey began at just three years old in a Wisk detergent commercial, leading to over 100 commercial appearances. Her television debut was on *Law & Order*, before she gained wider recognition as Nona F. Mecklenberg on *The Adventures of Pete & Pete*. During this time, she also played Lily Montgomery on *All My Children*.
Her film career launched with the titular role in *Harriet the Spy* in 1996, a role that required her to step away from *Pete & Pete*. The short-lived series *Meego* followed, earning her that Young Artist Award. She returned to film for *Inspector Gadget* in 1999 and also appeared in *Can't Be Heaven*. In 2000, she joined the cast of *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* as Dawn Summers, and from 2001 to 2003, she hosted *Truth or Scare*, leading to her Daytime Emmy nomination.
Post-*Buffy* and *Truth or Scare*, Trachtenberg appeared in the Trapt music video for "Echo" and as Jenny in the teen comedy *EuroTrip* (2004). In the same year, she portrayed Wendy in Gregg Araki's *Mysterious Skin*, a film adaptation of Scott Heim's novel, and had a recurring role as Celeste in the HBO series *Six Feet Under*. In March 2005, she took on the role of Casey Carlyle in Disney's *Ice Princess*.
In April 2006, Trachtenberg guest-starred on *House*, revealing on *Late Night with Conan O'Brien* that it was her favorite show. She also guest-starred on *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* in November 2006 as Willow, a kidnapped video blogger. Her music video appearances included Fall Out Boy's "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" and Ringside's "Tired of Being Sorry."
She starred in the 2006 remake of *Black Christmas* and was considered for a lead role in an ABC comedy pilot called *The Hill*. Trachtenberg also lent her voice to Tika Waylan in the animated film *Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight*. Her role as Georgina Sparks on *Gossip Girl* began in 2008, with her character becoming a significant presence throughout the show's run. In 2009, she was part of the NBC drama *Mercy* and returned to film for *17 Again* and a small role in *Cop Out* (2010).
In 2011, Trachtenberg guest-starred on *Love Bites* and *Weeds*. She was featured on the cover of Maxim in March 2011 and played Diane Turner in the *Criminal Minds* episode "Zugzwang." In late 2015, she starred as Anna, a high school guidance counselor, in the online series *Guidance*. By 2016, she was a member of the Writers Guild of America and working on writing projects, inspired by her role in *Harriet the Spy*. She had also written a screenplay based on the book *Toy Monster*. In 2022, she reprised her role as Georgina Sparks in the *Gossip Girl* revival, and in 2023, voiced a character in Apple TV+'s animated adaptation of *Harriet the Spy*. Trachtenberg was scheduled to appear at SXSW in March 2025.
Michelle Trachtenberg never married and had no children. At the time of her passing, she was in a five-year relationship with her agent, Jay Cohen. In early 2024, she addressed concerns about her health on social media, reassuring followers she was "happy and healthy" despite visible weight loss and jaundice. She underwent a liver transplant in 2024. On the morning of February 26, 2025, she was found unresponsive in her Manhattan apartment and pronounced dead at the scene at the age of 39. Authorities did not suspect foul play. A source close to her revealed she had been "really, really sick and open with those in her circle about how much she was struggling."
Due to religious reasons, Trachtenberg's family objected to an autopsy, and without any suspicion of criminality, the medical examiner did not overrule this. The New York's Office of Chief Medical Examiner ultimately ruled her cause and manner of death as undetermined. Later, toxicology reports indicated complications of diabetes, a known potential side effect of organ transplantation, as the cause.
Following her death, many celebrities, including her *Buffy* and *Gossip Girl* co-stars, offered their condolences. Rosie O'Donnell, her *Harriet the Spy* co-star, shared her deep affection for Michelle and expressed a wish to have been able to help her through her struggles.
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Michelle Christine Trachtenberg (October 11, 1985 – February 26, 2025) was an American actress. After beginning her career in commercials at age three, she made her television debut in her first credited role on the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1994–1996) and her feature film debut in the 1996 comedy Harriet the Spy. As a child actress, Trachtenberg starred in several Nickelodeon productions. In 1997, she won a Young Artist Award for her performance in CBS's sitcom Meego. She also played Penny Brown in Disney's 1999 Inspector Gadget film.
Trachtenberg found success on the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000–2003) as Dawn Summers, the younger sister of the show's title character, a role which won her another Young Artist Award and earned her three Saturn Award nominations. She was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her role as the host of the Discovery Kids series Truth or Scare (2001–2003). In her late teens and early 20s, Trachtenberg rose to further prominence in the film EuroTrip (2004) and as Georgina Sparks on the CW series Gossip Girl (2008–2012). During the mid-2000s, she also had a starring role in the film Ice Princess (2005) and supporting roles in the films Mysterious Skin (2004) and Black Christmas (2006). She also starred in the film 17 Again and on the NBC series Mercy (2009–2010).
In the 2010s, Trachtenberg starred in several television films, including Killing Kennedy (2013) and Sister Cities (2015), and in the science fiction film The Scribbler (2014). She provided the lead voice of Judy in Facebook Watch's adult animated web series Human Kind Of (2018) and executive produced the teen drama web series Guidance (2015–2017) and Tubi's true crime series Meet, Marry, Murder (2021).
== Early life and education ==
Michelle Christine Trachtenberg was born on October 11, 1985, in New York City, to Lana, a bank manager, and Michael Trachtenberg, a fiber-optics manager. Her parents were Jewish immigrants; her father was from Germany and her mother was from Odesa (Ukraine). At the time, it was the Ukrainian SSR. Her mother spoke Russian, because Russian is the native language of most Ukrainian Jews. Her mother helped her learn some Russian for a role in 2013. In an interview in November 2013, Trachtenberg said that her father had died recently. Her grandparents reside in Israel. She had an older sister named Irene.
Trachtenberg was raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, where she attended junior high school at The Bay Academy for the Arts and Sciences. Her family later moved to Los Angeles, where she attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks. She said in a later interview and on social media that she was bullied in school. She was a youth representative for the launch of an anti-drug campaign with President Bill Clinton.
== Career ==
=== 1988–2005: Career beginnings and Buffy the Vampire Slayer ===
Trachtenberg made her first television appearance at age three in a commercial for Wisk detergent. She would eventually play featured roles in more than 100 commercials. She made her television debut in an episode of the crime drama Law & Order, before gaining recognition on the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete as Nona F. Mecklenberg. During the same period, she played Lily Montgomery on the soap opera All My Children.
Trachtenberg's film career began in 1996 with the title role in Harriet the Spy, for which she had to leave The Adventures of Pete & Pete while its third season was running. She then starred in the short-lived television series Meego, which garnered her a Young Artist Award. She returned to film in 1999 for Inspector Gadget. She also starred in the film Can't Be Heaven. In 2000, she began playing Dawn Summers, the younger sister of the title character (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She also hosted the Discovery Kids series Truth or Scare from 2001 to 2003, for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award.
In 2004, after Buffy and Truth or Scare, Trachtenberg appeared in the music video for the Trapt song "Echo" and as Jenny in the teen comedy film EuroTrip. That same year, Trachtenberg played Wendy in Mysterious Skin, Gregg Araki's film adaptation of Scott Heim's novel. Wendy is the best friend of Neil (Joseph Gordon Levitt), a teenage hustler in small-town Kansas. The film debuted at the 2004 Venice Film Festival. She also had a recurring role in the HBO series Six Feet Under, as Celeste, a spoiled pop star.
In March 2005, Trachtenberg starred in Walt Disney Pictures' comedy sports drama film Ice Princess as Casey Carlyle, a science whiz, who is torn between a future in academia and her newfound dream of being a competitive figure skater.
=== 2006–2010: Gossip Girl and other work ===
In April 2006, Trachtenberg guest-starred in the episode of House, "Safe". She revealed on the December 22, 2006, episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien that House was her favorite show, and that she was friends with one of the producers and had asked to be a guest star.
In November 2006, Trachtenberg guest starred in season six of the crime drama Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In the episode "Weeping Willow", she played the role of Willow, a kidnapped video blogger, likely based on lonelygirl15. Trachtenberg also appeared in the Fall Out Boy music video for "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" and the Joaquin Phoenix-directed music video for "Tired of Being Sorry" by Ringside.
In 2006, Trachtenberg starred in Black Christmas, the remake of the 1974 slasher. In 2007, she was cast as the female lead in an ABC comedy pilot called The Hill, based on the newspaper of the same name in Washington, D.C. The network ultimately did not move forward with its pilot.
Trachtenberg provided the voice of Tika Waylan for Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, a direct-to-video animated film based on the novel of the same name. She appeared on The CW hit show Gossip Girl, as Georgina Sparks, who recently left rehab and brings back the dark past Serena van der Woodsen desperately wants to leave behind. She returned to the show for a multiple-episode story arc towards the end of season two. Trachtenberg appeared in the season three finale and in season four. She also appeared several times in season five, and in almost every episode of season six, the show's final season. In 2009, Trachtenberg was a cast member on the NBC drama series Mercy, which lasted one season. She then returned to film, starring in the 2009 teen fantasy comedy 17 Again and had a small role in the comedy Cop Out (2010).
=== 2011–2025: Later work and final projects ===
On June 9, 2011, Trachtenberg guest starred on Love Bites, as Jodie, who, after being unceremoniously dumped, decides – with a vengeance – to accept her ex's offer to "be friends". She reprised the role on June 16, 2011, and in the series finale on July 21, 2011. In the same year, Trachtenberg was a guest star on Weeds during its seventh season, portraying Emma, a rival pot dealer who causes problems for Silas Botwin. In June 2012, Trachtenberg was cast in the film The Scribbler, produced by Gabriel Cowan.
In March 2011, she was the featured cover girl in Maxim. In the Criminal Minds episode "Zugzwang", Trachtenberg played Diane Turner, the criminal stalker of Spencer Reid's girlfriend, Maeve Donovan.
In late 2015, Trachtenberg starred in the online series Guidance as Anna, the high school guidance counselor. In 2016, she said she was a member of the Writers Guild of America and that she was working on several writing projects and continued to be inspired by her role in Harriet the Spy. According to filmmaker Casey Tebo, she had written a screenplay based on the book Toy Monster.
In 2022, Trachtenberg reprised her role as Georgina Sparks in the second season of the HBO revival of Gossip Girl. In 2023, she had a voice role in Apple TV+'s animated series adaptation of Harriet the Spy.
Trachtenberg had been set to make an appearance at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas on March 12, 2025.
== Personal life and death ==
Trachtenberg had never married nor did she have any children. At the time of her death, she had been in a romantic relationship with her agent, Jay Cohen, for five years.
In early 2024, Trachtenberg addressed concerns on social media regarding her health after some people commented on her apparent weight loss and signs of jaundice. She reassured her followers that she was "happy and healthy". Trachtenberg underwent a liver transplant in 2024. On the morning of February 26, 2025, months after the procedure, Trachtenberg was found unresponsive by her mother in her Manhattan apartment. Emergency medical services were called and pronounced her dead at the scene; she was 39 years old. Authorities stated that her death was not being treated as suspicious. A source told People that during the last year of her life, "She was really, really sick and open with those in her circle about how much she was struggling."
Trachtenberg's family, who are Jewish, objected to an autopsy for religious reasons. There was no suspicion of criminality so the medical examiner did not overrule this objection. New York's Office of Chief Medical Examiner ruled that both the cause and manner of death were undetermined. In April, the New York Chief Medical Examiner declared through toxicology reports that Trachtenberg had died from complications of diabetes, which is sometimes a side effect of organ transplantation.
Following her death, numerous celebrities expressed their condolences and paid tribute to Trachtenberg, including her Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl co-stars. Harriet the Spy co-star Rosie O'Donnell said, "I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped."
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
=== Television ===
=== Web series ===
=== Music videos ===
== Awards and nominations ==
== References ==
== External links ==
Michelle Trachtenberg on Twitter
Michelle Trachtenberg on Instagram
Michelle Trachtenberg at IMDb
Michelle Trachtenberg at the TCM Movie Database
Michelle Trachtenberg discography at Discogs
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