Michelle Trachtenberg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michelle Trachtenberg
Trachtenberg in 2008
Born	(1985-10-11)October 11, 1985 New York City, U.S.
Died	February 26, 2025(2025-02-26) (aged 39) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1988–2024
Partner(s)	Jay Cohen (2020–2025)

Michelle Christine Trachtenberg (October 11, 1985 - February 26, 2025) an American actress. She started acting very young, appearing in TV commercials when she was just three years old.

Michelle made her television debut in the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1994–1996). She also starred in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy. As a child actress, she appeared in several Nickelodeon shows and movies. In 1997, she won a Young Artist Award for her role in the CBS sitcom Meego. She also played Penny Brown in Disney's 1999 Inspector Gadget movie.

Trachtenberg became very well known for her role as Dawn Summers in the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000–2003). Dawn was the younger sister of the main character, Buffy. This role earned Michelle another Young Artist Award and three Saturn Award nominations. She was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for hosting the Discovery Kids series Truth or Scare (2001–2003).

As a teenager and young adult, Michelle gained more fame in the movie EuroTrip (2004). She also played Georgina Sparks on the CW series Gossip Girl (2008–2012). During the mid-2000s, she starred in the film Ice Princess (2005) and had supporting roles in Mysterious Skin (2004) and Black Christmas (2006). She also appeared in the film 17 Again and the NBC series Mercy (2009–2010).

In the 2010s, Trachtenberg starred in several TV films, including Killing Kennedy (2013) and Sister Cities (2015). She also appeared in the science fiction film The Scribbler (2014). She lent her voice to the lead character, Judy, in the Facebook Watch web series Human Kind Of (2018). She also helped produce the teen drama web series Guidance (2015–2017) and the Tubi series Meet, Marry, Murder (2021). Michelle passed away at age 39 due to complications from diabetes.

Early Life and Education

Michelle Christine Trachtenberg was born on October 11, 1985, in New York City. Her mother, Lana, was a bank manager, and her father, Michael Trachtenberg, managed fiber-optics. Her parents were Jewish immigrants. Her father came from Germany, and her mother was from Odesa, Ukraine. Her mother spoke Russian, which is a common language for many Ukrainian Jews. Michelle learned some Russian for a role in 2013. Her father passed away in 2013. Her grandparents live in Israel. Michelle also had an older sister named Irene.

Michelle grew up in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. She went to junior high school at The Bay Academy for the Arts and Sciences. Later, her family moved to Los Angeles, where she attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks. She later shared that she faced bullying in school. Michelle also served as a youth representative for an anti-drug campaign with President Bill Clinton.

Career Highlights

Early Acting Roles (1988–2005)

Trachtenberg on the set of The Adventures of Pete & Pete in 1995

Michelle Trachtenberg first appeared on TV at age three in a commercial for Wisk detergent. She went on to be featured in over 100 commercials. Her TV acting debut was in an episode of the crime drama Law & Order. She became more recognized for her role as Nona F. Mecklenberg in the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. Around the same time, she played Lily Montgomery on the soap opera All My Children.

Michelle's film career began in 1996 with the main role in Harriet the Spy. She had to leave The Adventures of Pete & Pete during its third season for this movie. After that, she starred in the TV series Meego, which won her a Young Artist Award. She returned to films in 1999 for Inspector Gadget. She also starred in the movie Can't Be Heaven.

In 2000, she began playing Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dawn was the younger sister of the main character, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar. Michelle also hosted the Discovery Kids series Truth or Scare from 2001 to 2003. For this role, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award.

Trachtenberg (right) with the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 2003

In 2004, after Buffy and Truth or Scare, Michelle appeared in the music video for the Trapt song "Echo". She also played Jenny in the teen comedy film EuroTrip. That same year, Michelle played Wendy in Mysterious Skin, a film based on Scott Heim's novel. Wendy was the best friend of Neil, a teenager in Kansas. The film premiered at the 2004 Venice Film Festival. She also had a recurring role in the HBO series Six Feet Under as Celeste, a pop star.

In March 2005, Michelle starred in Walt Disney Pictures' comedy sports drama film Ice Princess. She played Casey Carlyle, a science whiz who was unsure whether to pursue a future in academics or her new dream of being a competitive figure skater.

Later Success and Gossip Girl (2006–2010)

In April 2006, Michelle Trachtenberg was a guest star in an episode of House called "Safe". She mentioned on a talk show that House was her favorite show. She was friends with one of the producers and asked to be a guest star.

In November 2006, Michelle guest starred in season six of the crime drama Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In the episode "Weeping Willow", she played Willow, a kidnapped video blogger. Michelle also appeared in the Fall Out Boy music video for "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race". She was also in the music video for "Tired of Being Sorry" by Ringside.

Trachtenberg in 2008

In 2006, Michelle starred in Black Christmas, a remake of the 1974 horror film. In 2007, she was cast as the main female character in an ABC comedy pilot called The Hill.

Michelle provided the voice of Tika Waylan for Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight. This was an animated film based on a fantasy novel. She appeared on The CW show Gossip Girl as Georgina Sparks. Georgina was a character who had recently left rehab and brought up difficult memories for Serena van der Woodsen. Michelle returned to the show for several episodes in season two, and also appeared in season three, season four, and season five. She was in almost every episode of season six, which was the show's final season.

In 2009, Michelle was a cast member on the NBC drama series Mercy, which ran for one season. She then returned to films, starring in the 2009 teen fantasy comedy 17 Again. She also had a small role in the comedy Cop Out (2010).

Final Projects (2011–2024)

On June 9, 2011, Michelle Trachtenberg guest starred on Love Bites. She played Jodie, a character who decided to accept her ex-boyfriend's offer to "be friends" after he broke up with her. She appeared in more episodes of the show. In the same year, Michelle was a guest star on Weeds during its seventh season. In June 2012, Michelle was cast in the film The Scribbler.

In the Criminal Minds episode "Zugzwang", Michelle played Diane Turner, a criminal who was stalking Spencer Reid's girlfriend.

In late 2015, Michelle starred in the online series Guidance as Anna, a high school guidance counselor. In 2016, she mentioned that she was a member of the Writers Guild of America. She was working on several writing projects and was still inspired by her role in Harriet the Spy. According to filmmaker Casey Tebo, she had written a screenplay based on the book Toy Monster.

In 2022, Michelle reprised her role as Georgina Sparks in the second season of the HBO revival of Gossip Girl. In 2023, she had a voice role in Apple TV+'s animated series adaptation of Harriet the Spy.

Michelle Trachtenberg was scheduled to appear at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas on March 12, 2025.

Personal Life and Passing

At the time of her passing, Michelle had been in a relationship with her agent, Jay Cohen, for five years.

In early 2024, Michelle addressed concerns on social media about her health. She reassured her followers that she was "happy and healthy." Michelle had a liver transplant in 2024. On the morning of February 26, 2025, her mother found her unresponsive in her Manhattan apartment. Emergency services were called, and she was pronounced deceased at the scene at 39 years old. Authorities stated that her death was not considered suspicious. A source told People magazine that in the last year of her life, "She was really, really sick and open with those in her circle about how much she was struggling."

Michelle's family, who are Jewish, did not want an autopsy for religious reasons. Since there was no suspicion of a crime, the medical examiner respected their wishes. New York's Office of Chief Medical Examiner initially stated that the cause and manner of death were undetermined. In April 2025, the New York Chief Medical Examiner announced, based on toxicology reports, that Michelle Trachtenberg had passed away from complications of diabetes. Diabetes can sometimes be a side effect of organ transplantation.

Following her death, many celebrities shared their sadness and paid tribute to Michelle. This included her co-stars from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl. Harriet the Spy co-star Rosie O'Donnell said, "I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped."

Filmography

Film

Television

Web Series

Music Videos

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Michelle Trachtenberg para niños