26.2.2025
According to multiple reports, Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in the Nickelodeon TV series “The Adventures of Pete & Pete” and the movie “Harriet the Spy,” has died at age 39. Representatives for Trachtenberg confirmed to IndieWire via email: “We confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy at this time. There are no further details available.”
According to Page Six, Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and The CW’s original “Gossip Girl,” was recently found deceased in New York City. Authorities are not treating her death as suspicious; however, the cause of death has not been disclosed. Variety and Deadline have confirmed this report.
Since the mid-2010s, Trachtenberg has maintained a relatively low profile in the film and television industry. However, she briefly returned to the screen to reprise her role as Georgina Sparks in the Max reboot of “Gossip Girl,” which was subsequently canceled in 2023 after two seasons. Previously, she had appeared in nearly 30 episodes of the original CW series as a strategic Upper East Side socialite. From 2000 to 2003, she played the role of Dawn Summers on The WB’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” beginning with the show’s fifth season.
Trachtenberg is known for her role in “Harriet the Spy” as a sixth-grade student and aspiring detective alongside Rosie O’Donnell as her nanny. She also appeared in the family film Inspector Gadget and the teen comedy EuroTrip before taking on a more serious role in 2004 in Gregg Araki’s film Mysterious Skin, where she played the best friend of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character.
Trachtenberg had a recurring role in Season 4 of “Six Feet Under” as the pop star for whom Keith Charles (Mathew St. Patrick), a former police officer turned security detail, is personally responsible. She also appeared in several television shows, including “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Love Bites,” “Weeds,” and “Criminal Minds.” Additionally, she hosted the documentary web series “Meet, Marry, Murder,” an anthology of true-crime chronicles. Trachtenberg received multiple Teen Choice Award nominations throughout her career before gradually stepping back from Hollywood in recent years, except for her involvement in the “Gossip Girl” reboot.