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Rosie O’Donnell’s Heartfelt Tribute to Michelle Trachtenberg After Tragic Death at 39

BBG News

In a heartfelt homage, Michelle Trachtenberg‘s ex-colleague, Rosie O’Donnell, expressed profound emotions after the unexpected passing of Trachtenberg at the age of 39.

On Wednesday morning, shortly after 8 a.m., Trachtenberg’s mother discovered her deceased in her New York City apartment close to Columbus Circle. This was confirmed by police sources to ABC News.

The report also mentioned that the actress had a liver transplant following her struggles with alcohol, and she might have encountered some difficulties afterward.

62-year-old O’Donnell, who shared screen time with young talent Trachtenberg in Harriet The Spy back in 1996, expressed deep sorrow over Trachtenberg’s passing, as conveyed in a statement to People.

She said: ‘I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped.’ 

A representative for Michelle Trachtenberg has sadly confirmed her passing to DailyMail.com. The family asks for privacy during this difficult time, as they mourn their loss. No additional information is available at present.

Police said there is no foul play suspected in her death. 

On Wednesday, the 26th of February, 2025, at around 8:01 in the morning, the police were called to assist someone at 1 Columbus Place, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Midtown North Precinct, as stated by the authorities.

When they arrived, officers found a 39-year-old woman who was unresponsive and not conscious. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were called to the scene and declared the woman dead.

It appears no criminal activity is implied at this time. The Medical Examiner will be identifying the cause of death, while the investigation continues further.

In the years spanning 2000 to 2003, Michelle Trachtenberg gained significant recognition for her portrayal of Dawn Summers, Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) younger sister, in the popular series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Additionally, she frequently appeared as Georgina Sparks, the character known as ‘The Witch of the Upper East Side,’ on the TV show Gossip Girl, sharing screen time with Blake Lively from 2008 to 2012.

Lately, people have been worried about Trachtenberg’s health due to concerning social media posts that depicted her appearing weak.

Her final outing was to Sartiano’s restaurant in SoHo last Thursday night. 

The medical examiner’s office will perform an examination after death to determine precisely what caused it.

Reflecting on the unfortunate news, I can’t help but share a nostalgic throwback from our Gossip Girl days. To my dear friend and co-star, Michelle Trachtenberg, my thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.

In a heartfelt statement, Harriet The Spy’s co-star Rosie O’Donnell expressed her sadness over the passing of Trachtenberg, saying, “I held her in high regard. The past couple of years were tough for her. If only I could have offered more support.

2023 saw Michelle return to her character for two episodes in the last season, which was the finale, of HBO Max’s updated version of Gossip Girl.

In the year 2021, Trachtenberg’s most recent significant role was serving as both the executive producer and host of the thirteen-part true crime documentary series titled “Meet, Marry, Murder,” which aired on Tubi TV.

In the year 2018, she took on voice acting roles in both “Robot Chicken,” an animated parody produced by her friend Seth Green and aired on Adult Swim, and also “Human Kind Of,” an animated series streamed on Facebook Watch.

Over the last three weeks preceding her passing, Trachtenberg posted ten times on Instagram, which sparked worry among her followers.

Prior to her shock passing, the star was extremely active on social media.

7 days ago, she shared an old photo from her attendance at the Killing Kennedy premiere at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, which took place on November 4, 2013, as a nostalgic post on Instagram.

She titled the photo “Looking Mischievous like a Playful Tinker Bell,” suggesting that she was trying to portray a naughty version of the fairy character in the picture.

Michelle posted two additional selfies she had taken, and once more, her followers expressed their concerns, focusing on her apparent hair thinning and yellowish eyes, rather than speculations about cosmetic surgeries or malnourishment.

She titled the photo “Looking mischievous, like a naughty version of Tinker Bell,” on the red carpet.

Previously, she posted an old photo along with a witty remark, hinting that she wouldn’t let “the Sunday blues” affect her mood.

She seemed deeply nostalgic, as evidenced by her recent sharing of an old photo from the 2011 School of American Ballet Winter Ball and a playful proposal for those without Valentine’s Day plans to spend their time watching her true crime docuseries, “Meet, Marry, Murder.

Furthermore, I fondly paid homage to my partner, the talented agent Jay Cohen, whom I delightfully paint the portrait of when he stays put just right for me to capture his features with my brush.

The image shared in the post depicted them in a delightful photo taken on Halloween, where they were portraying Dr. Jekyll and his alternate personality, Mr. Edward Hyde.

Or:

The posted picture showed a charming Halloween shot of them dressed up as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde, their two distinct personas.

Trachtenberg posted newer selfies from the same spot, seemingly taken outside on a patio, on both February 8th and February 12th.

Last month, Trachtenberg reacted to an Instagram comment from a young admirer regarding her ex-co-star Lively on Instagram.

18-year-old Audrey Long posted a comment on Michelle’s Instagram, praising her past colleague Blake, believing it to be harmless flattery. However, she wasn’t prepared for the reaction she got in reply.

At the moment, Blake finds herself involved in a legal dispute with her previous It Ends With Us collaborator, Justin Baldoni. She has alleged that he is employing tactics similar to those of an abuser in his 400-million dollar lawsuit against her and her husband, Ryan Reynolds.

Audrey, who manages a social media account dedicated to reselling outfits from the popular 2000s TV series “Gossip Girl,” has been backing Blake through the ongoing legal issues.

In my perspective, I can’t help but express my curiosity about your thoughts on the ongoing Blake situation. 💗

She inquired, “Or is this a straightforward declaration?” hinting at the post, where Michelle had shared an image with the caption, “Requires much courage to look past all the nonsense. And some tinted glasses.

‘You’re so fabulous,’ Audrey continued in her comment. 

However, the ex-child star swiftly retorted, showing evident displeasure at the line of questioning regarding her previous acting partner.

The writer from Harriet the Spy shared, “Wow, I’m preoccupied with concerns about current events and families displaced by the Los Angeles wildfires. However, carry on as you wish,” accompanied by an expression that suggests a sigh or roll of the eyes.

Last year the star hit back at ‘haters’ who expressed concern over her health and appearance.

Previously famous young actor, boasting over a million followers on both Instagram and Twitter, shared this post: “Trivia Time. Here’s my real face. No signs of malnutrition or issues. So, why the negativity? Pick up a calendar instead.

The story unfolded as Michelle posted a picture showing her getting ready for a hairdo at Tracey Cunningham’s Mèche salon, located in the upscale area of Beverly Hills.

A fan asked: ‘Michelle [you] look sick. [Are you] ok?’

Trachtenberg responded: “@cathy_critz, kindly clarify why you think I appear unwell. It seems you may have misplaced your calendar and not noticed my age – I am 38 years old. It’s unfortunate that you chose to post such a comment.

The following day, she shared another selfie accompanied by a bold message: “Lately, I’ve been getting remarks about my looks. To set the record straight, I haven’t undergone any cosmetic procedures. I am content and in good health. Haters, take a look at yourself.

One follower commented, “There’s no discussion on plastic surgery here. It’s more about your liver failing.

A different person wrote: ‘It doesn’t seem like anyone was suggesting you had cosmetic procedures. Instead, we’re expressing our genuine worry for you. Your eyes appear jaundiced, and it seems like your hair is thinning significantly, making us think that you might be unwell.’

The concern seems to be centered around the fact that your eyes appear yellow, and you’re experiencing excessive hair loss.

‘I think they are worried for your health.’ 

One follower wrote: ‘Anyone with yellow eye balls is not well and needs to see a doctor.’

Trachtenberg kicked off her acting journey at the tender age of three, appearing on the Nickelodeon TV show “The Adventures of Pete and Pete,” which aired from 1994 to 1996.

In 1997 aged 11 she won a Young Artist Awards for her performance as Maggie in CBS’ Meego. 

The star also appeared in 2004 hit EuroTrip.

In my line of work, I’ve had the fortune of embodying intriguing characters that have left an indelible mark in the world of television. Firstly, I stepped into the high-society shoes of Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl, and then, I embraced the role of Dawn Summers, a character that found her place alongside Buffy.

The latter won her another Young Artist Award and three Saturn Award nominations.

As a lifestyle guru, I’m proud to share that I received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for my captivating role as the host of the thrilling Discovery Kids series, Truth or Scare (2001-2003). This nod is a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication in delivering an unforgettable viewing experience.

Her other screen credits include  Mysterious Skin (2004) and Black Christmas (2006).

She also starred on the NBC television series Mercy (2009–2010) as Chloe Payne.

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2025-02-27 01:20

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