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Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg (43904360470).jpg
Michelle Trachtenberg in November 2018
Born (1985-10-11) October 11, 1985 (age 39)
Occupation Actress
Years active 1988–present

Michelle Christine Trachtenberg (/ˈtræktənbɜːrɡ/; born October 11, 1985) is an American actress. Trachtenberg began her career at age three, appearing in a number of commercials, films, and television series as a child. Her starring role on the Nickelodeon television series The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1994–1996) as Nona Mecklenberg was her first credited role. She starred in the Nickelodeon Movies comedy film Harriet the Spy (1996) as the film's eponymous character and in the CBS sitcom Meego (1997) as Maggie, for both of which she won Young Artist Awards.

Trachtenberg found further success on the WB supernatural drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000–2003) as Dawn Summers, the younger sister of the show's eponymous protagonist, a role which won her another Young Artist Award and earned her three Saturn Award nominations. She also earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her role as the host of the Discovery Kids series Truth or Scare (2001–2003). During the mid-2000s, she had starring roles in the films EuroTrip (2004) and Ice Princess (2005) and supporting roles in the films Mysterious Skin (2004) and Black Christmas (2006). In the late 2000s and early 2010s, her recurring role on the CW teen drama television series Gossip Girl (2008–2012) as socialite Georgina Sparks earned her further popularity, and she also starred on the NBC television series Mercy (2009–2010) as Chloe Payne.

In the 2010s, Trachtenberg starred in several television films, including Killing Kennedy (2013) and Sister Cities (2015), and in the science fiction film The Scribbler (2014). She provided the lead voice of Judy in the Facebook Watch adult animated web series Human Kind Of (2018) and executive produced the teen drama web series Guidance (2015–2017) and the Tubi true crime television series Meet, Marry, Murder (2021–present), the latter of which she hosts as of 2022.

Early life

Trachtenberg was born on October 11, 1985 in New York City, the younger of two daughters of Michael, a fiber optics engineer, and Lana, a bank manager. Jewish immigrants from Russia and Germany, respectively. Trachtenberg's grandparents reside in Israel, but she celebrates Christmas and "all" religions, having gone to a Catholic high school because, she said, tuition was cheaper than the Jewish one.

She was raised with her older sister, Irene, in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, where she attended junior high school at The Bay Academy for the Arts and Sciences. She later attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California. She is fluent in Russian.

Career

1988–2003

Trachtenberg made her first television appearance at the age of three, in a commercial for Wisk detergent. She went on to feature in over 100 more commercials. Her first television role was in the second season of Law & Order; her first credited role was as Nona F. Mecklenberg on the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete from 1994 until 1996. During the same period she played Lily Montgomery on the soap opera All My Children.

Trachtenberg's film career began in 1996 with the title role in Harriet the Spy, for which she had to leave The Adventures of Pete & Pete while its third season was running. She then starred in the short-lived television series Meego, which garnered her a Young Artist Award. She returned to film in 1999 for Inspector Gadget. She also starred in the film Can't Be Heaven. In the summer of 2000, she took on the role of Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, remaining in the role until the show ended in 2003. She also hosted the Discovery Kids series Truth or Scare from 2001 to 2003.

2004–2007

Trachtenberg (crop)
Michelle Trachtenberg in June 2008

After Buffy and Truth or Scare, Trachtenberg appeared in the comedy film EuroTrip. She also had a recurring role in the HBO series Six Feet Under, as Celeste, a spoiled pop star for whom Keith Charles served as a bodyguard. In March 2005, she starred in Walt Disney Pictures' comedy sports drama film Ice Princess as Casey Carlyle, a science whiz, who is torn between a future in academia and her newfound dream of being a professional figure skater.

In 2004, Trachtenberg played Wendy in Gregg Araki's film adaptation of Scott Heim's novel, Mysterious Skin. The film debuted at the 2004 Venice Film Festival.

In April 2006, Trachtenberg guest-starred in the episode of House, "Safe". She revealed on the December 22, 2006, episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien that House was her favorite show, and that she was friends with one of the producers and had asked to be a guest star.

In November 2006, Trachtenberg guest starred in season six of the crime drama Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In the episode "Weeping Willow", she played the role of Willow, a kidnapped video blogger, likely based on lonelygirl15. Trachtenberg also appeared in the Fall Out Boy music video for "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", the Joaquin Phoenix-directed music video for "Tired of Being Sorry" by Ringside, and the video for the Trapt song "Echo".

In 2006, Trachtenberg starred in Black Christmas, the remake of the 1974 slasher of the same name. In 2007, she was cast as the female lead in an ABC comedy pilot called The Hill, based on the newspaper of the same name in Washington, D.C.

2008–2010

Trachtenberg provided the voice of Tika Waylan for Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, a direct-to-video animated film based on the novel of the same name. She appeared on The CW hit show Gossip Girl, as Georgina Sparks, who recently left rehab and brings back the dark past Serena van der Woodsen desperately wants to leave behind. She returned to the show for a multiple-episode story arc towards the end of season two. Trachtenberg appeared in the season-three finale and in season four. She also appeared several times in season five, and in almost every episode of season six, the show's final season. In 2009, Trachtenberg was a cast member on the NBC drama Mercy; the series lasted one season. She returned to film with the 2009 film 17 Again. She also had a small role in the comedy film Cop Out.

2011–present

On June 9, 2011, Trachtenberg guest starred on Love Bites, as Jodie, who, after being unceremoniously dumped, decides – with a vengeance – to accept her ex's offer to "be friends". She reprised the role on June 16, 2011, and in the series finale on July 21, 2011. In the same year, Trachtenberg was a guest star on Weeds during its seventh season. In June 2012, Trachtenberg was cast in the film The Scribbler, produced by Gabriel Cowan.

In the Criminal Minds episode "Zugzwang", Trachtenberg played Diane Turner, the criminal stalker to Spencer Reid's girlfriend, Maeve Donovan.

In late 2015, Trachtenberg starred in the online series Guidance as Anna, the high school guidance counselor.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Melissa Lena Uncredited
1996 Harriet the Spy Harriet M. Welsch Film debut
1998 Richie Rich's Christmas Wish Gloria Glad Direct-to-video; replacing Stephi Lineburg
1999 Inspector Gadget Penny Brown
1999 Can't Be Heaven Julie
2004 EuroTrip Jenny
Mysterious Skin Wendy Peterson
2005 Ice Princess Casey Carlyle
2006 Beautiful Ohio Sandra
Black Christmas Melissa Kitt
2008 Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight Tika Waylan Voice; direct-to-video
2009 Against the Current Suzanne
17 Again Maggie O'Donnell
2010 Cop Out Ava Monroe
DC Showcase: Jonah Hex Bar girl Voice; short film
2011 Take Me Home Tonight Ashley
2013 ... Evil Genius Miranda Prague Direct-to-video
2014 Scribbler, TheThe Scribbler Alice
TBA Spyral Michelle Cody White Voice; documentary film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Law & Order Dinah Driscoll Episode: "God Bless the Child"; uncredited
1993 Clarissa Explains It All Elsie Soaperstein Episode: "Babysitting"
1993–1996 All My Children Lily Benton Montgomery #1 Daytime drama
1994–1996 Adventures of Pete & Pete, TheThe Adventures of Pete & Pete Nona F. Mecklenberg 14 episodes; recurring role (seasons 2–3)
1996 Dave's World Angela Episode: "Solitaire"
Space Cases Prankster #1 Episode: "All You Can Eaty"
Holiday for Love, AA Holiday for Love Noelle Murphy Television film
1997 Meego Maggie Parker 13 episodes; main role (season 1)
1998 Blue's Clues Herself Episode: "Blue's Birthday"
Reading Rainbow Herself (narrator) Episode: "Math Curse"
Guys Like Us Katie Episode: "Maestro's First Crush"
1998–1999 Figure It Out Herself (panelist) 12 episodes
2000 Father's Choice, AA Father's Choice Kelly McClain Television film
2000–2003 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Dawn Summers 66 episodes; main role (seasons 5–7)
2001–2003 Truth or Scare Herself (host and narrator) 20 episodes
2004 Six Feet Under Celeste 4 episodes; guest role (season 4)
2005 Dive from Clausen's Pier, TheThe Dive from Clausen's Pier Carrie Beal Television film
2006 House Melinda Bardach Episode: "Safe"
2006–2018 Robot Chicken Various characters (voice) 6 episodes; guest role (seasons 2–3, 5 & 9)
2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Lisa Willow Tyler Episode: "Weeping Willow"
2008–2012 Gossip Girl Georgina Sparks 28 episodes; recurring role (seasons 1–6)
2008 Circuit, TheThe Circuit Kylie Shines Television film
2009–2010 Mercy Chloe Payne 22 episodes; main role (season 1)
2009 Super Hero Squad Show, TheThe Super Hero Squad Show Valkyrie (voice) 2 episodes; guest role (season 1)
2011 Love Bites Jodie 3 episodes; guest role (season 1)
Weeds Emma Karlin 5 episodes; guest role (season 7)
2013 Criminal Minds Diane Turner Episode: "Zugzwang"
Killing Kennedy Marina Oswald Television film
NCIS: Los Angeles Lily Lockhart Episode: "Merry Evasion"
2015 Sleepy Hollow Abigail Adams Episode: "Pittura Infamante"
SuperMansion Blood Moon (voice) Episode: "A Midsummer Night's Ream"
Christmas Gift, TheThe Christmas Gift Megan Television film
2016 Chopped Junior Herself (guest judge) 1 episode
Sister Cities Dallas Baxter Television film
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Herself (guest) 1 episode
2021– Meet, Marry, Murder Herself (host) 26 episodes
2022 Gossip Girl Georgina Sparks 2 episodes

Web series

Year Title Role Notes
2015 Guidance Anna 6 episodes
2018 Human Kind Of Judy (voice) 21 episodes
2021 Meet, Marry, Murder Host 13 episodes

Music videos

Year Title Artist
2004 "Echo" Trapt
2005 "Tired of Being Sorry" Ringside
2007 "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" Fall Out Boy

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1997 Young Artist Award Best Performance in a Feature Film: Leading Young Actress Harriet the Spy Won
1998 Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Supporting Young Actress Meego Won
2000 YoungStar Award Best Young Actress in a Comedy Film Inspector Gadget Nominated
2000 Young Artist Award Best Performance in a Feature Film: Supporting Young Actress Nominated
2001 Teen Choice Award TV – Choice Sidekick Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nominated
Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Drama Series: Supporting Young Actress Won
Saturn Award Best Supporting Actress on Television Nominated
2002 Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Leading Young Actress Truth or Scare Nominated
Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Guest Starring Young Actress MADtv Nominated
Saturn Award Best Supporting Television Actress Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nominated
2003 Saturn Award Best Supporting Television Actress Nominated
2004 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series Truth or Scare Nominated
2007 Sarasota Film Festival Breakthrough Performer Beautiful Ohio Won
2012 Teen Choice Award Choice TV Villain Gossip Girl Nominated

See also

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