Michelle Trachtenberg

Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg in 2018
Born	(1985-10-11)October 11, 1985 New York City
Died	February 26, 2025 (aged 39) New York City
Occupation	Actress

Michelle Trachtenberg (October 11, 1985 – February 26, 2025) was an American actress, who successfully transitioned from her work as a child star, to performing roles where she played adults. Trachtenberg's mother found her unresponsive at 8am February 26, 2025, and authorities confirmed she had died, that morning, in her New York City apartment, at age 39.

Career

Trachtenberg, as a child actress, in 1995

Trachtenberg had several earlier acting jobs, before headlining and starring as Harriet, in the film Harriet the Spy, at ten years old.

Trachtenberg was known for joining the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, while still a teenager, playing Buffy's baby sister. She later was a key cast member of Gossip Girl.

Other lead roles included Inspector Gadget, Ice Princess and Killing Kennedy.

Controversies

In 2021 Trachtenberg joined Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Charisma Carpenter, fellow Buffy cast members, in naming Joss Whedon, the series creator, as an individual who was abusive to female cast members. Whedon had mocked Carpenter for her appearance, specifically, for gaining weight, when he knew she was pregnant.

Although Trachtenberg wasn't specific about the incident or incidents that triggered this measure, she went on record that he crossed the line with her, too, and, subsequently, was not allowed to be alone with her.

Health

In January 2024 People magazine magazine reported that Trachtenberg responded to posts on social media, where individuals had voiced concern over recent photos of her. Trachtenberg had told respondents that she had not had plastic surgery, and that changes in her appearance could be attributed solely to her age.

After her death various sources have reported Trachtenberg had recently received a liver transplant.

The New York Post reports that, in the recent disturbing social media posts, fans had noticed that, not only had Trachtenberg seemed to have lost weight, but that her eyes, had a slightly yellow tinge, and had asked if she was abusing drugs. A yellow tinge to the eyes can also be a sign of liver problems.

The New York Post contacted Amanda de Cadenet, after a post she made after Trachtenberg's death, saying the pair had face-timed when Trachtenberg was in hospital, recently. Cadenet said due to her medical condition Trachtenberg “knew death was a high possibility.”

The New York Post repeated speculation from those who knew Trachtenberg that her transplant had failed. In its reporting NBC News reached out to experts on liver disease and liver transplants. They reported that deaths due to organ rejection, for transplant receipients, was rare. Transplant receipients require drugs that lower their bodies immune system's responsiveness, for the rest of their lives. When well treated recipients receive regular testing of there blood, for markers that would warn if organ rejection was immients, and then receive an increased dose of immune suppressant drugs. The immune suppressant drugs themselves are dangerous, because they leave recipients more vulnerable to infections other people's immune system would shake off. Dangerous blood clots are another complication that can prove fatal.

The Daily Mail found her last known outing was five days prior to her death, a Thursday night dinner with a female friend at Sartiano's, a restaurant in NYC's SoHo neighborhood. They reported people at the restaurant thought she looked frail, and that she seemed to have trouble descending a flight of stairs.