US: ‘Gossip Girl’ actress, Michelle Trachtenberg, dies at 39

American actress, Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, has died at the age of 39.

Police in Manhattan responded to an emergency call on Wednesday morning and found Trachtenberg “unconscious and unresponsive.” 

She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have stated that her death is not being treated as suspicious. “Criminality is not suspected. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing,” the NYPD said in a statement.

Trachtenberg’s family confirmed her passing in a statement, saying, “It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss.”

Rising to fame as a child star in the 1990s and 2000s, Trachtenberg made her film debut in Harriet the Spy in 1996 and appeared in several Nickelodeon productions. 

She was best known for playing Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and later gained prominence as the manipulative socialite Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl, which aired from 2007 to 2012.

Tributes have poured in from former colleagues and friends. US comedian Rosie O’Donnell, who starred alongside Trachtenberg in Harriet the Spy, described her death as “heart-breaking.” “I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped,” O’Donnell said.

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English actor Ed Westwick, who played Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl, shared a tribute on Instagram, posting a picture of Trachtenberg as Georgina Sparks with the message, “So sad to hear of the passing of Michelle Trachtenberg. Sending prayers.” David Boreanaz, her former Buffy the Vampire Slayer castmate, also expressed his sorrow, writing on Instagram, “So very sad. Horrible news.”

Trachtenberg’s final major acting role was in 2021 as the host of the true-crime docuseries Meet, Marry, Murder on Tubi. She had also reprised her role as Georgina Sparks in two episodes of the Gossip Girl reboot in 2023.

In 2021, Trachtenberg was among several actors who accused Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon of inappropriate behaviour on set, following similar allegations by her co-star Charisma Carpenter.

Trachtenberg began her acting career at age nine on the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete and went on to star in films such as EuroTrip, Ice Princess, Killing Kennedy, and Sister Cities. In the early 2000s, she received multiple award nominations, including a Daytime Emmy, for her performance in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

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