Gossip Girl actress Michelle Trachtenberg has died at the age of 39 in New York City following a liver transplant.
Soon after news broke on Wednesday morning, heartbreaking tributes began to come in through social media.
One of the first was from her Gossip Girl costar Ed Westwick who played Chuck Bass on the popular show.
‘So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg sending prayers,’ the actor wrote on his Insta Stories as he added a prayer emoji and a white heart. He also shared an image of Trachtenberg playing Georgina on the TV series.
Michelle’s Buffy The Vampire Slayer costar James Marsters told TMZ the world has ‘lost a beautiful soul’ as he recalls her being ‘fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny, and a very talented person.’
Rosie O’Donnell, who worked with Michelle on 1996’s Harriet The Spy, said in a statement, ‘I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped.’
Melissa Gilbert of Little House On The Prairie fame shared: ‘Oh Michy…and we lived so close to one another…..my heart aches for your family and all those who loved you so… @michelletrachtenberg #ripsweetgirl.’
They worked together on the 1996 movie A Holiday For Love.
Gossip Girl actress Michelle Trachtenberg has died at the age of 39 in New York City following a liver transplant. Soon after news broke on Wednesday morning, heartbreaking tributes began to come in through social media. Seen in 2020
One of the first was from her Gossip Girl costar Ed Westwick who played Chuck Bass on the popular show. ‘So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg sending prayers,’ the actor wrote on his Insta Stories
Westwick at the K-Wayfashion show during the Milan Fashion Week – Womenswear Fall/Winter 2025/2026 on February 25
Her Ice Princess costar Kim Cattrall said: ‘Rest in peace sweet Michelle.’ Kim shared an image from the 2005 ice skating movie.
Michelle’s EuroTrip costar Travis Wester also shared a message: ‘I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Michelle Trachtenberg. In the time I knew her, she was a brilliant presence on set, her approach to comedy was fearless, and personally she was kind, generous, and caring. I pray that her memory will be a blessing.’
Michelle died of natural causes following a liver transplant, police sources told ABC News.
The star was found dead by her mother on Wednesday in her New York City apartment near Columbus Circle just after 8 am local time.
Michelle’s former boyfriend Zane Carney added a long tribute: ‘I just heard the news about Michelle and I’m in shock…very few of you know about my former child acting days, but I was on a sitcom from 1993-1996 called Dave’s World, long before I picked up a guitar.
‘I remember seeing Harriet The Spy and IMMEDIATELY developing the biggest crush on Michelle (the lead!) I bought all the merch, rewatched it on VHS and hoped that one day I’d meet her so she could be my girlfriend.
‘Then I got a word from our casting director that Michelle Trachtenberg herself was going to be a *gasp* GUEST STAR ON OUR NEXT EPISODE!
‘I was so nervous to meet her, and the second she stepped on set my feelings for her grew tenfold…also, even though my Mom somehow pulled out the most classic of Mom moves – showing literal baby photos of me to Michelle’s mother (of course Michelle walked up WHILE THIS HUMILIATION WAS OCCURRING) – she and I developed a truly deep and special connection.
‘Within a few weeks, we were boyfriend and girlfriend (I know, I still can’t believe it either). Michelle was my first love.
Michelle’s Buffy The Vampire Slayer costar James Marsters told TMZ the world has ‘lost a beautiful soul’ as he recalls her being ‘fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny, and a very talented person’
Her Ice Princess costar Kim Cattrall said, ‘Rest in peace sweet Michelle’
Melissa Gilbert of Little House On The Prairie fame shared: ‘Oh Michy…and we lived so close to one another…..my heart aches for your family and all those who loved you so… @michelletrachtenberg #ripsweetgirl’
Rosie O’Donnell , who worked with Michelle on 1996’s H arriet The Spy, said in a statement, ‘ I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped’
Mara Wilson called Michelle her ‘childhood friend’
‘For her birthday a few months later, my Dad helped me record a version of the Beatles’ “Michelle” which we played over the loudspeakers at her birthday party at The Oakwoods. She ran out of the party half-embarrassed-half-smitten (as kids do) but later revealed how much that meant to her.
‘We stayed in touch all these years and even spoke as recently as October/November 2024.
‘There’s no other way to say it other than that she was my first love (and I may have been hers, as well…) I loved her brain, her wit, her seemingly unlimited energy, her effortless beauty, her loyalty and how every room she entered became precisely *infinity percent* more fun, just because she was in it. So many others have much more to say, but I just wanted to share how much I adored Michelle and how sad I am to know that I won’t be able to laugh or reminisce with her anymore. She was such a unique treasure of a soul and she will be unbelievably missed by the Carney/Heil household. We love you forever Michelle and our hearts go out to the entire Trachtenberg family ❤️’
Police told DailyMail.com that there is no foul play suspected in her death.
Sources told TMZ that the actress had recently undergone a liver transplant after battling alcohol issues.
An autopsy will be carried out by the medical examiner’s office to establish the exact cause of death.
‘On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at approximately 0801 hours, police responded to a 911 call of an aided individual at 1 Columbus Place, within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct,’ police said in a statement.
‘Upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased.
‘Criminality is not suspected. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing.’
Blake Lively and Michelle attends the 2009 CFDA Fashion Awards at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on June 15, 2009 in New York City
TMZ reported that the actress had enjoyed a final night out with friends on Thursday at Sartiano’s restaurant.
Trachtenberg was best known for her on UPN teen supernatural drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer spanning 2000-2003.
She played Buffy’s younger sister Dawn Summers in 66 episodes of the hit show.
The Brooklyn native also had a recurring role as The Witch of the Upper East Side Georgina Sparks in 28 episodes of The CW teen soap Gossip Girl spanning 2008-2012.
She also appeared in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy alongside Rosie O’Donnell.
In recent years Trachtenberg had sparked concern for her health after sharing troubling social media posts in which she looked frail.
Prior to her shock passing, the star was extremely active on social media.
Her final Instagram post, uploaded seven days ago, was a throwback picture of her attending the Killing Kennedy premiere at the Saban Theatre on November 4, 2013 in Beverly Hills.
‘I wanted to look like naughty #tinkerbelI wanted to look like naughty #tinkerbell,’ she captioned the picture, which showed her posing on the red carpet.
Days prior, she shared another older picture and joke about not letting the ‘Sunday scaries’ get to her.
The star seen on Instagram on February 12; her caption read, ‘Eye of the Tiger’
Michelle with Sarah Michelle Gellar on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer
She was clearly in a nostalgic mood as she also recently shared a snap, taken in 2011 at the School of American Ballet Winter Ball, and a cheeky suggestion for those without Valentine’s Day plans to watch her true crime docuseries, Meet, Marry, Murder.
Additionally, she shared a sweet tribute to her boyfriend, talent agent Jay Cohen, who she described as ‘the man who sits still long enough for’ her to ‘paint his face.’
The post included a sweet snap of them from Halloween dressed as Dr. Jekyll and his alter ego, Mr. Edward Hyde.
Although the comment sections on her post have since been flooded with condolences and ‘rest in peace’ messages, many expressed worry about her health ahead of her death.
On February 8 and February 12, Trachtenberg shared more recent selfies in the same location, which appeared to be taken on an outdoor patio.
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