Who was Michelle Trachtenberg? Gossip Girl star dies at age 39

New Delhi: Michelle Trachtenberg first rose to fame as a child star in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy. Her career spiked when she appeared in the hit TV shows Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The actress died at the age of 39 on February 26, 2025.

According to CNN Entertainment, the New York City Police confirmed that Michelle was found in her Manhattan apartment at 8 AM local time. Who is Michelle Trachtenberg? Here is what we know about her death so far.

Michelle Trachtenberg death news

As per the authorities, the police responded to a 911 call on Wednesday and found a woman unresponsive, who was later identified as Michelle. The official NYPD statement claims there is ‘criminality suspected’, but the investigation is underway. An official cause of death is yet to be confirmed. A source close to CNN claimed that Michelle’s death seems to be related to her recent medical issue.

“The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time,” Michelle’s representative told CNN.

Who was Michelle Trachtenberg?

Born on October 11, 1985, Michelle Trachtenberg began her acting career with TV commercials at the age of three. She made her television debut with the Nickelodeon series The Adventure of Pete & Pete in 1994. With a glorious career at such a young age, Michelle was already a star in her teenage years. She rose to prominent success with her appearance in Buffy the Vampire Slayer from 2000-2003 and the CW show Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2012. Alongside her Gossip Girl gig, Michelle also starred in films such as Ice Princess, Mysterious Skin, Black Christmas and more in the 200s.

In the 2010s, she went on to experiment with sci-fi and true crime genres with films and series such as The Scribbler, Human Kind Of, and Guidance. The actress was last seen in reprising her role as Georgina Sparks in the Gossip Girl revival season 2 in 2022.

According to an ABC News report, Michelle underwent a liver transplant and might have faced complications. In 2024, Michelle fired back at a netizen who commented on her ‘sick’ appearance. “Explain to me how I look sick. Did you lose a calendar and not realize I’m not 14. I’m 38. How sad for you to leave such a comment,” she snapped back.