US actress Michelle Trachtenberg found dead at 39 in New York, police confirm

NZ Herald

26 Feb, 2025 06:47 PM2 mins to read

Michelle Trachtenberg in 2020. Photo / Getty Images

US actress Michelle Trachtenberg, who starred in hit TV shows Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died at 39, New York police have confirmed.

Trachtenberg’s mother found the New York-born actress in her luxury Manhattan apartment near Central Park, police sources confirmed to ABC and the New York Post.

The Harriet the Spy star was in the midst of recovering from a recent liver transplant and may have been suffering from complications related to the procedure, the sources told ABC.

The New York Police Department said they found Trachtenberg “unconscious and unresponsive” in her apartment, and emergency responders were unable to revive her.

“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 confirmed to media 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.

Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

“Criminality is not suspected. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing.”

Trachtenberg was last spotted in public on February 20, where she joined friends for dinner at Sartiano’s restaurant in Soho, TMZ reported.

Her last Instagram post was made on February 19. The actress shared an old red carpet photo with the caption: “I wanted to look like naughty #tinkerbell #throwback“.

Trachtenberg began her acting career as a child, taking on roles in The Adventures of Pete & Pete for Nickelodeon and in All My Children for ABC, among others.

Following her foray into film with the release of Harriet the Spy, Trachtenberg began starring as Dawn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 2000, launching her to mainstream stardom.

Trachtenberg was also known for her roles in Gossip Girl, where she played Georgina Sparks over the show’s six seasons, and in the 2004 comedy film EuroTrip.