Being a child actor is a tricky thing, and that really came to light with recent documentaries like Quiet on Set. One performer who was busy in TV and film from an early age was Michelle Trachtenberg, who famously starred in projects like Harriet the Spy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (streaming with a Hulu subscription), and Gossip Girl as she grew up before our eyes. And her generations of fans will no doubt be sad to learn Trachtenberg had died at age 39.
This sobering news comes to us from the NY Post, and is already making the rounds online. At the time of writing this story, her cause of death has not yet been revealed, although the report claims that "her death is not being investigated as suspicious." She was allegedly found dead at around 8AM this morning at her home in New York City. The post claims that their source came from within the NYPD itself.
Trachtenberg's death is sure to come as a shock to the public, as she's been active on social media throughout February. In addition to posting throwbacks, she also shared some selfies this month, although the comments were filled some concerned fans over her thin appearance. And as such, folks will likely be continuing to pay attention to this story while waiting for news about exactly how/why she passed away.
For many '90s kids like me, we first were introduced to Michelle Trachtenberg as the titular role in Harriet the Spy. Following that appearance she appeared in projects like Inspector Gadget, and Richie Rich's Christmas Wish, before joining the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast in Season 5 as the titular character's younger sister Dawn. She stayed in the show for its final three season on the air, although Trachtenberg later spoke out against Joss Whedon as allegations of his inappropriate behavior came to light.
As she got older the late actress would go on to appear in more beloved projects on both film and TV. That includes movies like EuroTrip and Ice Princess, as well as TV shows like Six Feet Under, Weeds, and Gossip Girl.
While her career slowed down in more recent years, Trachtenberg continued to have a ton of fans, especially the Buffy community. And when it was revealed that a Buffy reboot was in development, the fandom hoped that Trachtenberg would be back as Dawn alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar (if the pilot actually gets filmed, of course).
News of Trachtenberg's death is truly a tragic one, and only time will tell exactly what happened that caused it. The actress reportedly had a liver transplant recently, but whether or not that factored into her passing remains to be seen. For now, our thoughts are with her friends and family during this difficult time.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
