Michelle Trachtenberg, the talented actor who gave us the manipulative Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl and the kind Dawn Summers in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, has sadly passed away.
The NYPD has shared a statement with media confirming they responded to a 911 call on February 26 where officers “observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased. Criminality is not suspected.”
No official cause of death has been shared.
Michelle was a child star of the 90s who brought Harriet The Spy to life in 1996, inspiring a generation of curious and inquisitive kids. She was also known for her roles in The Ice Princess, 17 Again and Eurotrip.
A number of her former costars have shared loving tributes including actor Sarah Michelle Gellar who referenced one of the most powerful lines from the Buffy series:
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“Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it I will be brave. I will live… for you.”
Blake Lively, who worked with Michelle on Gossip Girl also shared a beautiful message:
“She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%. She laughed the fullest at someone’s joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something wa wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself.”
Blake’s message added, “she was a kind person, through and through.”
James Marsters took to Instagram to describe Michelle as “fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny, and a very talented person.”
Chace Crawford said “Michelle was one of a kind. I remember her coming on set for the first time and just absolutely owning it. She was a force of nature and just so so unapologetically funny and magnetic. Remembering those years with a big smile. Just a terrible loss.”
Taylor Momsen recalled meeting Michelle for the first time and knowing they’d be instant friends: “She was smart and sassy, bold and sensitive, funny as f*** and filled with fire. She was simply awesome. I’ll miss our late night calls that no one should ever hear but us. She was always in my corner and there to support me whether I was right or wrong. I will miss you everyday my love.”
(Feature Image Credit: Ga Fullner/Shutterstock.com)
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