The death of actress Michelle Trachtenberg has been announced. The star, who was best known for her starring roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, was 39 years old.
Reports have swirled since the announcement was shared last night (February 26). Here is everything we know…
Michelle Trachtenberg death announced
The star, who appeared in a myriad of 1990s and 2000s shows, was reportedly found dead by her mother in her New York City apartment near Central Park earlier this week.
The NYPD has since confirmed that they discovered Trachtenberg “unconscious and unresponsive” and she was pronounced dead by emergency medical workers, according to reports.
Michelle Trachtenberg cause of death
Despite Michelle Trachtenberg’s death being untimely, police are not treating it as suspicious, as alleged by sources who spoke to the New York Post.
Michelle Trachtenberg is said to have died of natural causes and may have suffered complications following a liver transplant, police sources allegedly told ABC News.
Michelle Trachtenberg starred in an array of popular shows and movies, leaving many millennials heartbroken over the news of her death. Especially fans of 2005 movie Ice Princess, the 1996 comedy Harriet the Spy and the 2009 Zac Efron fronted comedy fantasy, 17 Again.
A number of Michelle’s former co-stars have spoken out in wake of the tragic news.
Tributes pour in for Michelle Trachtenberg
Blake Lively emotionally penned to social media alongside a snap with the actress on set: “This is the first day I met Michelle. She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed.
“Everything she did, she did 200%. She laughed the fullest at someone’s joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself.
May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire.
“And she always had yummy caramel smelling lipgloss on because she didn’t just want to sparkle on camera, she liked creating a nice experience for anyone who was in her orbit, even down to the subtle smell of her lipgloss because she cared about the sweet details.
“She was a kind person, through and through. Time passes. You take for granted that you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday.
‘Hold those you love and have loved dear’
“Hold those you love and have loved dear. The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle. May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire.” [sic]
Gossip Girl writer and producer Joshua Safran also shared a heartfelt tribute. He wrote: “It was an honour and joy to write for Michelle for so many years. Writers don’t write specific characters on shows, even though many people believe they do. (How many times have I been asked ‘who wrote Blair?’ The answer is: everyone!)
“However: Georgina unlocked something in me in which writing her was the easiest thing I’d done.
‘It was partially the character: devious, delicious, direct – the most fun to write. But it was also Michelle. She had such a clear voice as an actor. You heard her as you typed.
“You knew she’d make each line rougher, more real, much funnier – and that made the writing better. She was an inspiration and an icon. There’s many reasons GG1 caught fire when we came back from the strike, but one of the biggest was the intro of her arc. The injection of her.
‘Long live Georgina Sparks, and the brilliant woman who gave her the fire’
“Long live Georgina Sparks, and the brilliant woman who gave her the fire. You will be forever missed. xoxo”
Michelle’s Buffy The Vampire Slayer co-star James Marsters told TMZ the world has “lost a beautiful soul” and described her as “fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny, and a very talented person.”
Elsewhere, famed US presenter 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.”
Adding to the slew of sweet messages, Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick also wrote to social media. He said: “So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg. Sending prayers.”
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