Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl actress Michelle Trachtenberg has died aged 39.
Trachtenberg was found dead Wednesday in her New York City apartment near Columbus Circle just after 8 am local time by her mother, police sources told ABC News.
It was further reported the actress recently underwent a liver transplant and ‘may have been experiencing complications.’
She is believed to have died of natural causes and police are not treating the death as suspicious, sources added to the New York Post.
Trachtenberg was best known for her work as Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) younger sister Dawn Summers in 66 episodes of UPN teen supernatural drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer spanning 2000-2003.
The Brooklyn native also had a recurring role as ‘The Witch of the Upper East Side’ Georgina Sparks in 28 episodes of The CW teen soap Gossip Girl spanning 2008-2012.
In recent years Trachtenberg had sparked concern for her health after sharing troubling social media posts in which she looked frail.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl actress Michelle Trachtenberg has died aged 39 – pictured 2023
Trachtenberg was best known for her work as Buffy’s ( Sarah Michelle Gellar ) younger sister Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer spanning 2000-2003.
Trachtenberg had previously sparked fears for her health last year
In 2023 Michelle reprised her role as the wedding-spoiling, manipulative socialite in two episodes of the second (and final) season of HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot.
Trachtenberg’s last major gig was executive producing and hosting the 13-episode true-crime docuseries Meet, Marry, Murder for Tubi TV in 2021.
In 2018, she had voiceover gigs on her buddy Seth Green’s animated spoof Robot Chicken on Adult Swim as well as the Facebook Watch animated series Human Kind Of.
Michelle made her first TV appearance, at age three, in a commercial for Wisk detergent.
Last year the star hit back at ‘haters’ who expressed concern over her health and appearance.
The former child star – who boasts 1.1M Instagram/Twitter followers – wrote’Fun fact. This is my face. Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have [to] hate? Get a calendar.’
The drama began when Michelle shared a snap of herself about to get her hair done at Tracey Cunningham’s Mèche salon in Beverly Hills.
Instagram user @cathy_critz asked: ‘Michelle [you] look sick. [Are you] ok?’
Trachtenberg replied: ‘@cathy_critz explain to me how I look sick. Did you lose a calendar and not realize I’m not 14? I’m 38. How sad for you to leave such a comment.’
The next day, the Daytime Emmy Award nominee posted yet another selfie showing off her newly-dyed pink-tipped locks with the defiant caption: ‘I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery. I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.’
The Brooklyn native also had a recurring role as ‘The Witch of the Upper East Side’ Georgina Sparks in 28 episodes of The CW teen soap Gossip Girl spanning 2008-2012
Trachtenberg is pictured in Hollywood in 2020
Trachtenberg was just 14 when she was cast on Buffy (pictured 2001 with Sarah Michelle Gellar)
In 2023 Michelle reprised her role as the wedding-spoiling, manipulative socialite in two episodes of the second (and final) season of HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot
Trachtenberg’s last major gig was executive producing and hosting the 13-episode true-crime docuseries Meet, Marry, Murder for Tubi TV in 2021
Trachtenberg shared this Instagram snap on February 12 captioned ‘eye of the tiger’
Trachtenberg is pictured in 1996 film Harriet The Spy with Rosie O’Donnell
Michelle uploaded two more selfies she took and, again, fans clarified they’re not worried about plastic surgery or malnutrition but rather her ‘thinning hair and yellow eyes.’
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Buffy star Michelle Trachtenberg, 38, hits back at 'haters' over cruel comments about her 'thinning hair' and 'yellow eyes'
‘Nobody is talking about plastic surgery. They are talking about your liver shutting down,’ Instagram user @efm850916 wrote.
Instagram user @heather_mcgillick agreed: ‘I really don’t think anyone was implying you had plastic surgery. We are generall concerned about you. Your eyes are yellow, your hair is [thinning] majorly, you look sick.’
‘People are just worried that your eyes are yellow and all your hair is falling out,’ Instagram user @go.lden7541 wrote.
‘I think they are worried for your health.’
Instagram user @samj_82_ added: ‘Anyone with yellow eye balls is not well and needs to see a doctor.’