Entertainment
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl star Michelle Trachtenberg dies aged 39-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro
Michelle Trachtenberg has died aged 39 (Picture: Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Gossip Girl star Michelle Trachtenberg has died aged 39.
She was found ‘unconscious and unresponsive’ by police, who said her death is not being investigated as suspicious.
The actress was reportedly found by her mother around 8am local time on Wednesday in a luxury apartment complex on Central Park South in Manhattan, New York.
Her cause of death has not been confirmed but an autopsy will be conducted by the medical examiner’s officer.
It’s believed Trachtenberg died of natural causes and no foul play is suspected.
Trachtenberg was best known for her roles in Gossip Girl as Georgina Sparks and in Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Picture: Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
An NYPD spokesperson said in a statement to Metro: ‘On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at approximately 0801 hours, police responded to a 911 call of an aided individual.
‘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.’
The actress’ death is not being treated as suspicious (Picture: Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)
Trachtenberg began her acting career as a child, appearing in commercials from the age of three before her film debut in 1996, starring in Harriet the Spy.
She went on to play Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl and Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
She held more than 60 credits across her career, including in 17 Again and TV shows Weeds and Guidance.
She starred alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar in Buffy The Vampire Slayer as Dawn Summers (Picture: 20thCentFox/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)
One of Trachtenberg’s first TV roles came on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete from 1991 to 1996, before her titular role in Harriet the Spy.
She won a Young Artist Award for the role in 1997 and another the following year for her role as Maggie in TV series Meego.
Trachtenberg went on to win and be nominated for several more awards, including in Inspector Gadget and a Choice TV villain nomination for Gossip Girl in 2012.
Her first film role came in Harriet the Spy in 1996 (Picture: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock)
She also appeared in Ice Princess and EuroTrip, and one of her most recent roles included voicing Judy Reilly in Human Kind Of.
Trachtenberg had been posting on social media just a week ago, and on February 18 had shared a throwback picture of her wearing a green gown and sparkly earrings, writing: ‘I wanted to look like naughty #tinkerbell #throwback.’
Days earlier, she shared another image, writing: ‘#sundayscaries ain’t got nothing on me!’
The star’s cause of death has not been confirmed (Picture: Alex Berliner/BEI/REX/Shutterstock)
Last year, Trachtenberg said she was ‘happy and healthy’ after receiving comments about her appearance.
Showing off her new pink hair, she said at the time: ‘I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance.
‘I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.’
Trachtenberg hit back at haters with a defiant post last year (Picture: Michelle Trachtenberg/Instagram)
Fans have taken to her recent posts to share tributes to the star, with @samhoward0812 writing: ‘Not the news I wanted to hear. Rip Georgina.’
‘She raised all of us who grew up in the 2000s may she rest in peace,’ @ohteen said.
@zainlyfe added: ‘So sad to hear. I always hoped to see you in a Buffy reboot. Rest in peace.’
Metro has approached Trachtenberg’s reps and the NYPD for comment.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
For more stories like this, check our entertainment page.
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Michelle Trachtenberg has died aged 39 (Picture: Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Gossip Girl star Michelle Trachtenberg has died aged 39.
She was found ‘unconscious and unresponsive’ by police, who said her death is not being investigated as suspicious.
The actress was reportedly found by her mother around 8am local time on Wednesday in a luxury apartment complex on Central Park South in Manhattan, New York.
Her cause of death has not been confirmed but an autopsy will be conducted by the medical examiner’s officer.
It’s believed Trachtenberg died of natural causes and no foul play is suspected.
Trachtenberg was best known for her roles in Gossip Girl as Georgina Sparks and in Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Picture: Jemal Countess/Getty Images)
An NYPD spokesperson said in a statement to Metro: ‘On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at approximately 0801 hours, police responded to a 911 call of an aided individual.
‘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.’
The actress’ death is not being treated as suspicious (Picture: Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)
Trachtenberg began her acting career as a child, appearing in commercials from the age of three before her film debut in 1996, starring in Harriet the Spy.
She went on to play Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl and Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
She held more than 60 credits across her career, including in 17 Again and TV shows Weeds and Guidance.
She starred alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar in Buffy The Vampire Slayer as Dawn Summers (Picture: 20thCentFox/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)
One of Trachtenberg’s first TV roles came on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete from 1991 to 1996, before her titular role in Harriet the Spy.
She won a Young Artist Award for the role in 1997 and another the following year for her role as Maggie in TV series Meego.
Trachtenberg went on to win and be nominated for several more awards, including in Inspector Gadget and a Choice TV villain nomination for Gossip Girl in 2012.
Her first film role came in Harriet the Spy in 1996 (Picture: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock)
She also appeared in Ice Princess and EuroTrip, and one of her most recent roles included voicing Judy Reilly in Human Kind Of.
Trachtenberg had been posting on social media just a week ago, and on February 18 had shared a throwback picture of her wearing a green gown and sparkly earrings, writing: ‘I wanted to look like naughty #tinkerbell #throwback.’
Days earlier, she shared another image, writing: ‘#sundayscaries ain’t got nothing on me!’
The star’s cause of death has not been confirmed (Picture: Alex Berliner/BEI/REX/Shutterstock)
Last year, Trachtenberg said she was ‘happy and healthy’ after receiving comments about her appearance.
Showing off her new pink hair, she said at the time: ‘I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance.
‘I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.’
Trachtenberg hit back at haters with a defiant post last year (Picture: Michelle Trachtenberg/Instagram)
Fans have taken to her recent posts to share tributes to the star, with @samhoward0812 writing: ‘Not the news I wanted to hear. Rip Georgina.’
‘She raised all of us who grew up in the 2000s may she rest in peace,’ @ohteen said.
@zainlyfe added: ‘So sad to hear. I always hoped to see you in a Buffy reboot. Rest in peace.’
Metro has approached Trachtenberg’s reps and the NYPD for comment.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
For more stories like this, check our entertainment page.
Follow Metro.co.uk Entertainment on Twitter and Facebook for the latest celeb and entertainment updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.
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