Gossip Girl and Buffy star Michelle Trachtenberg dies aged 39 after 'troubling' posts
Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress Michelle Trachtenberg has died at age 39, according to reports citing police sources.
She was found dead inside her New York City apartment by her mother at 8am on Wednesday, February 26.
It is understood that Michelle's death is not being treated as suspicious and details surrounding her death have not been disclosed.
The New York Post reports that the actress recently underwent a liver transplant and is believed to have died from natural causes.
It comes after Michelle concerned her fans after sharing a series of troubling posts on Instagram, prompting many to ask whether she was ok.
Her most recent post was shared last week and featured a throwback picture from a 2013 red carpet.
Thousands have now flooded the post with tributes and messages of condolence. One wrote: "RIP Michelle! Such a talent. Buffy season five was my favourite and now it's going to be even sadder watching her as Dawn."
Another penned: "You were someone I looked up to in my childhood. From the beginning of Ice Princess to Gossip girl. I was hoping the news isn’t true. But you are so loved. Rest easy Queen. Gone too soon...My prayers go to her family during this time."
A third said: "Such a talented queen. You will be so missed."
And a fourth commented: "Not the news I wanted to hear. RIP Georgina."
Michelle began her TV career when she was nine years old in the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete and Pete (1994-1996). She then played the lead in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy.
Her career reached new heights when Michelle landed a role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, playing Dawn Summers, the younger sister of Sarah Michelle Geller's Buffy.
She found further popularity with her recurring role as socialite Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl and also had leading roles in the films EuroTrip (2004) and Ice Princess (2005).
It is unclear whether Michelle was in a relationship at the time of her death, but she was previously linked to X-Men actor Shawn Ashmore from 2004 to 2006 and engaged to polo player Scott Sanford between 2008 and 2010.
In 2020, she was reportedly dating her talent agent Jay Cohen.
