Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away at the age of 39. Apparently, her passing was from “natural causes” related to a liver transplant. Michelle was a Millennial icon, a child star who graduated to adult roles. Her CV is full of huge cultural pieces for several generations, from Harriet the Spy to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Six Feet Under to Gossip Girl. She died in her New York apartment.
Michelle Trachtenberg, who rose to fame as Buffy’s younger sister, Dawn, in the dark, comedic series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and as a conniving socialite on the show “Gossip Girl,” has died, according to the New York Police Department. She was 39.
The department said in a statement that officers, responding to a 911 call just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, found Ms. Trachtenberg unconscious and unresponsive in a Manhattan apartment. She was pronounced dead by emergency medical workers, who had also responded.
The medical examiner will determine the cause of death, the department said, adding that criminality was not suspected.
The NYT didn’t get into the liver transplant part of the story, but People Magazine did, as did ABC News:
Michelle Trachtenberg underwent a medical procedure before she died at age 39. The Gossip Girl actress was found “unconscious and unresponsive” by police on the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 26. A cause of death has not been confirmed. However, Trachtenberg had recently undergone a liver transplant, sources tell PEOPLE.
Trachtenberg never publicly shared any health conditions. But in January 2024, she did respond to commenters on her Instagram when they suggested she was unwell after she shared a selfie to her grid. “Fun fact. This is my face,” she captioned a follow-up post. “Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have to hate? Get a calendar.”
In a third post, she added, “I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.”
ABC News reported her liver transplant may have led to “complications.”
I noticed that she hadn’t worked much in recent years, but I thought that was probably her choice, especially given how in-demand she was for a decade, especially in television. She probably could have booked a starring role in any TV show at any time, but it sounds like she was having health issues in recent years and she wanted to keep all of that private. One of my first thoughts, when I heard about Michelle’s passing, was her statement in 2021 in which she blasted Joss Whedon and said that on Buffy, there was a production rule in place to ensure that she was never alone in a room with Whedon. She was just a teenager when she was on Buffy. What a tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with Michelle’s family, friends and fans.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Michelle Trachtenberg at The Art of Elysium’s Ninth Annual Heaven Gala, 3LABS, Culver City, CA 01-09-16,Image: 528040061, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Martin Sloan/Avalon
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- 156441, Michelle Trachtenberg at the premiere of Lifetime’s Sister Cities held at Paramount Theatre in Hollywood. Los Angeles, California – Wednesday August 31, 2016.,Image: 532608560, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Sutter, PacificCoastNews/Avalon
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- Actress Michelle Trachtenberg arrives at the Cadillac Oscar Celebration 2020 held at Chateau Marmont on February 6, 2020 in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 563346650, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289 – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- The Art of Elysium's 12th Annual Celebration – Heaven,Image: 969299478, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Not available for publication in Germany, Model Release: no, Pictured: Michelle Trachtenberg, Credit line: WENN.com/Wenn/Avalon
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- **FILE PHOTO** Michelle Trachtenberg Has Passed Away. Michelle Trachtenberg at the Target Go International Designer Collective Influencer Event at The Ace Hotel, March 10, 2011 in New York City. © mpi01 / MediaPunch Inc. Featuring: Michelle Trachtenberg Has Passed Away Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 10 Mar 2011 Credit: MediaPunch/INSTARimages
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- **FILE PHOTO** Michelle Trachtenberg Has Passed Away. New York, NY- February 16: Michelle Treachtenberg attends the Alice and Olivia by Stacey Bendet Fall 2015 Presentation on February 16, 2015 at the Prince George Ballroom in New York City. Credit: John Palmer/MediaPunch Featuring: Michelle Trachtenberg Has Passed Away Where: New York, New York, United States When: 16 Feb 2015 Credit: MediaPunch/INSTARimages
That is unbelievably young. How tragic. That’s a really prescient point about her child star years and all the evil things that are barely a secret that we just expect young actors to carry with them and then absolutely rip into them when they don’t act like perfect sweet girls anymore.
Even having seen little of her work, she had a huge star presence. So sad for all her friends and family.
I saw Blake Lively’s insta post about this and it moved me to tears. I discovered Buffy in my teens and all seven seasons became a holy text. I’m going to call all the girls I grew up watching it with. I love them and I haven’t spoken to them in years.
Rest in light Michelle
Every single article on Michelle’s death that I’ve seen online is just full of comments from paid bo… sorry actual human beings exploiting Michelle’s death to rip into Blake for not releasing a statement, then after she released her statement, for making it all about her.
I wish Baldoni would take a day off.
His team is so exhausting.
I love true crime so there was a show she was the narrator, I think she was doing easy and quick work in later years due to health issues.
I loved her in Buffy.
This is a celebrity death that hit me super hard. I have been following her career since she was Lily Montgomery on All My children. We’re only a few years apart in age I felt like we grew up together. I remember going to see Harriet the spy in theaters, and being absolutely thrilled when she was cast as Dawn on Buffy. Man. Rest in peace.
I was going to say the same! I’ve followed her since her AMC days. So sad. 😞
I watched Michelle grow up and I can’t believe she’s gone at 39. How heartbreaking for her family, friends and fans. Brutal.
💔
I remember her from when she was really little and was on the soap All My Children. This is so tragic. A friend of a friend died last summer due to complications during liver transplant surgery. He was in his early 40s.
Oh no that is so sad. My uncle has PKD and finally got his liver transplant last year. Recovery hasn’t been easy–especially for his donor–but he’s in a great place now.
Poor Michelle. This really is a reminder that we never know what’s going on is someone’s private life so maybe think about that before you rush to accuse someone of buccal fat removal, drug addiction. an eating disorder whatever.
🙏🏼 🕊
It’s heartbreaking she is dead so young. I imagine that her not working recently was due to the usual Hollywood BS of not wanting to cast fully grown women when the world is full of young ones. And then whatever health issues led to her liver transplant. She will always be Dawn to me, I loved that show so much, and she was great in it.
I remember her making the statement on Whedon.
And the most chilling word in the statement:
the rule was joss was never allowed to be in a room alone with Michelle AGAIN.
AGAIN. F**k that guy.
Still love watching her in Buffy. She was perfect in the role.
And her stints on Gossip Girl were highlights of that show.
You just don’t know- if you love someone- tell them, tomorrow is not promised.
Just very sad. I was shocked when I heard this because of how young she is. So close to my age.
When I heard about this it immediately made me think of Amanda Bynes–she’s lucky to still be with us.
Rest in Peace Michelle.
Harriet the Spy was the best. RIP Michelle
She was really in everything. I remember her from “House”, she was a transplant patient at one episode. Really a great actress and from all her coworkers writing about her, a great human being.
I’m so sad about this. Rewatching Buffy recently I was struck by what an amazing actress she was. She gave Dawn such a combination of sweet, naive vulnerability and that Summers toughness. Her chemistry with SMG was also beautiful and it seemed like they were very close offscreen too. As another commenter said, all reports sound like she was a lovely person IRL. I’m so sorry for her family & friends.
People disliked her character a lot, but she always did a nice job with it. She and Sarah seemed close. Sarah posted a photo of her, Michelle, and Shannen Dougherty, so hard to lose 2 friends at such a young age.
My heart breaks for Michelle’s family and loved ones.