Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, has passed away at the age of 39.
Her mother discovered her unresponsive in her New York City apartment near Columbus Circle around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, according to police sources speaking to ABC News. Trachtenberg had recently undergone a liver transplant and may have faced complications. Authorities believe she died of natural causes, with no signs of foul play. An autopsy will be conducted to confirm the cause of death.
Born and raised in New York City, Trachtenberg began her acting career as a child, appearing in Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete and Harriet the Spy. She gained widespread recognition as Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, playing the younger sister of Sarah Michelle Gellar’s character from 2000 to 2003. Her performance earned her a Teen Choice Award nomination for Best TV Sidekick in 2001.
Just last month, Trachtenberg shared a throwback photo with Gellar, captioning it: “Slay all day! Always loved this twinning photo of us! #buffy #dawn #sister #womancrushwednesday.”
She also made a memorable appearance in Fall Out Boy’s 2007 music video for This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race.
From 2008 to 2012, she played Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl, a role that earned her a Teen Choice Award nomination for Best TV Villain in 2012. Speaking about the character in a 2009 interview with Seventeen, she shared, “Being evil is kind of easy when you’re saying evil things. It’s way more fun than playing the good girl.”
Throughout her career, Trachtenberg starred in TV series like Mercy, Weeds, and Truth or Scare. She also had a brief role in HBO’s Gossip Girl reboot in 2022.
Her film credits include EuroTrip, 17 Again, and The Scribbler.
