Michelle Trachtenberg, the actress who first captured audiences as a child star in Harriet the Spy before making her mark on hit shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, has died at 39.
New York police responded to a 911 call shortly after 8 am at a luxury residential building in Midtown Manhattan, where they found Trachtenberg unconscious and unresponsive. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. Authorities do not suspect foul play, and the city’s medical examiner is investigating the cause of death.
Trachtenberg’s career began early, with her role as Nona Mecklenberg on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete from 1994 to 1996. She rose to prominence at just 10 years old, starring in Harriet the Spy and later Inspector Gadget alongside Matthew Broderick.
In 2000, she joined Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Dawn Summers, the younger sister of Sarah Michelle Gellar’s titular character. Years later, she voiced support for Gellar after allegations surfaced against Buffy creator Joss Whedon, hinting at her own uncomfortable experiences on set.
Beyond Buffy, Trachtenberg hosted Truth or Scare, earning a Daytime Emmy nomination in 2001. She went on to appear in Six Feet Under, Weeds, and most notably Gossip Girl, where she portrayed Georgina Sparks, the show’s cunning antagonist.
Her film credits included Ice Princess (2005), EuroTrip (2004), and Killing Kennedy (2013), where she played Marina Oswald, speaking much of her dialogue in Russian, a language she learned from her mother.
Trachtenberg’s representatives have not yet commented on her passing.
