Michelle Trachtenberg rose to fame in the '90s as a child actor. Her first big roles included The Adventures of Pete & Pete and Harriet the Spy, as well as All My Children. Michelle went on to star in the hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Dawn Summers, Buffy’s sister.
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In 2005, Michelle Trachtenberg starred in Disney’s Ice Princess before playing Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girlalongside the likes of Blake Lively. Michelle reprised her role as Georgina for the Gossip Girl reboot in 2023.
Sadly, it was announced that the actress was found dead in her home on February 26, 2025—the same day that actor Gene Hackman and his wife passed away in their Santa Fe home.
She was only 39 years old and her cause of death remains unknown. Here's what we know so far.
Michelle Trachtenberg died aged 39
On Wednesday morning, February 26, police responded to a 911 call, afterwhich they found a woman ‘unconscious and unresponsive’ in an apartment in Manhattan. As per CNN, the woman was then identified as Michelle Trachtenberg and she was subsequently pronounced dead.
While investigation is still ongoing, the NYPD has confirmed they have no reason to believe her death was suspicious, and that 'criminality is not suspected’. Moreover, an NYPD source reportedly told the CNN her death 'appeared to be related to natural causes.'
The source also said she had a recent medical issue. Indeed, according to multiple reports, including from People, the Gossip Girl star had a liver transplant months prior to her death.
ABC News has suggested that Michelle suffered ‘complications’ following her alleged liver transplant, however this information has not been confirmed as Michelle did not make her health issues public.
That being said, in January 2024, when fans questioned her health following a photo she shared, she shut down rumours she was unwell. In three separate posts, she captioned:
Fun fact. This is my face.
Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have to hate? Get a calendar.
I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery. I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.
Michelle Trachtenberg FaceTimed with a friend from hospital
Since the announcement of her death, many celebrities have come forward to pay tribute to Michelle Trachtenberg. Among them, British photographer and personality Amanda de Cadenet shared a particularly intimate but also cryptic message.
The 52-year-old shared a photo of a young Michelle, expressing her sorrow at her passing:
Sweetheart Michelle. ❤️ What sad news this morning to wake up to. It feels weird and awful to be posting this, but I want to acknowledge your death because I cared about you.
In her post, she goes on to reveal that she and Michelle had FaceTimed when the Gossip Girl star was in hospital, and Michelle ‘did not look like’ herself.
Seeing your face from the hospital bed when we FaceTimed recently, even though you did not look like you, your sweetness and humour were still alive.
She goes on to say that she won’t share details about their private conversation, but she does say that Michelle 'knew that death was a high possibility'.
I will not share the details of our conversations over the last 6 months. But you knew that death was a high possibility.
However, since posting, Amanda has deleted the last sentence, as per People.
Read more:
Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa found dead: Police confirm, 'this is an active investigation'
RuPaul's Drag Race UK star The Vivienne: Inquest opens into their sudden death
Friends star Teri Garr dies aged 79 from multiple sclerosis
Sources used:
CNN: ‘Michelle Trachtenberg, of ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ dead at 39’
People: ‘Michelle Trachtenberg Had a Liver Transplant Months Before Death at Age 39’
People: ‘Amanda de Cadenet Reveals Michelle Trachtenberg FaceTimed Her from Hospital Bed: ‘You Knew That Death Was a High Possibility’
