Michelle Trachtenberg, best known for her role as Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died at the age of 39.
Found Unresponsive in New York City
Police responded to a 911 call Wednesday morning at a luxury residential building in Midtown Manhattan. Officers found Trachtenberg unconscious and unresponsive. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. Authorities do not suspect foul play, and the New York Medical Examiner is investigating the cause of death.
Her mother reportedly discovered her and called emergency services. ABC News sources indicate she had recently undergone a liver transplant which may have been rejected.
A Career That Spanned Decades
Born on October 11, 1985, in New York City, Trachtenberg started acting at age 3 in commercials. She made early TV appearances in All My Children and Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete. In 1996, she landed her first major film role as the title character in Harriet the Spy.
She joined Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 2000, portraying Dawn Summers, the younger sister of Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy. The role cemented her status as a cult TV favorite.
In the years that followed, she appeared in the comedy EuroTrip, starred in Disney’s Ice Princess, and last appeared playing Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl, a character known for causing chaos among Manhattan’s elite. She also had roles in 17 Again, Black Christmas, and Mysterious Skin.
Her last social media post was on Feb. 18.
Tributes from Hollywood
Several of Trachtenberg’s former co-stars and colleagues shared tributes.
Blake Lively, who worked with her on Gossip Girl, posted, “She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed.”
David Boreanaz, her Buffy co-star, wrote, “So very sad… horrible news. RIP and prayers to her and her family.”
Others, including Kim Cattrall, Kenan Thompson, Melissa Joan Hart, and James Marsters, also expressed their condolences.
