According to New York City police, Michelle Trachtenberg, the actress who gained notoriety as a young child star in “Harriet the Spy” and went on to play iconic characters on TV series like “Gossip Girl,” has passed away. Her age was 39.
On Wednesday, shortly after 8 a.m. local time, police responded to a 911 call and discovered an unconscious and unresponsive woman inside a Manhattan apartment. A representative for the NYPD eventually revealed her identity as Trachtenberg. When EMS arrived on the scene, they declared the person dead.
In a statement, the NYPD stated that there is no suspicion of criminal activity and that the inquiry is still underway. The Medical Examiner’s office will determine Trachtenberg’s official cause of death.
Trachtenberg apparently had a recent medical issue, and her death seemed to be connected to natural causes and not suspicious, an NYPD source said on Wednesday.
“The family asks that their loss be kept private. “At this time, there are no additional details.”
Trachtenberg was a natural fit for Nickelodeon’s over-the-top humor of the 1990s because of her impish personality and keen sense of humor. She first became well-known for her part on “The Adventures of Pete & Pete.” She then starred in “Harriet the Spy,” Nickelodeon’s debut feature picture, in 1996. In the latter, she appeared on TV alongside young Gregory Smith, Rosie O’Donnell, and J. Smith-Cameron, who later starred in “Succession” and portrayed her mother.
Reflecting on the event, which happened right before her tenth birthday, Trachtenberg referred to O’Donnell as her “biggest supporter” on the set.
“I had a lot expected of me. “I’m really appreciative of the experience,” she said in 2001 on Entertainment Tonight. “You inspired my life,” they say when I do check social media, which is difficult for me. You inspired me to pursue writing. All of those are simply lovely stuff.
When contacted, O’Donnell called Trachtenberg’s passing “heartbreaking.” She went on to say, “I loved her very much.”
Kenan Thompson and Melissa Joan Hart, two former Nickelodeon performers who knew and collaborated with Trachtenberg, have also sent their condolences.
Trachtenberg was cast as Dawn Summers, the younger sister of Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in the popular WB series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” in 2000.
Fans expressed their conflicting opinions about the character, who made her debut in the fifth season of the show, at the time. “Most of the haters don’t have the guts to say things in person,” Trachtenberg quipped about the criticism years later in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.