Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away at the age of 39

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.

[From The NY Times]

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.”

[From People]

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.