It’s sadly been confirmed that Michelle Trachtenberg, known for roles in the hit television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and 2006’s Black Christmas, has passed away at age 39. According to reports, Trachtenberg had recently underwent surgery for a liver transplant.
While there isn’t much information at this time, it seems as though she experienced complications from the transplant. Here’s what else was shared via Deadline:
“Trachtenberg was discovered by her mother at her New York City apartment shortly after 8 a.m. local time.”
This is certainly an unexpected announcement and one that has already shaken her fans. Trachtenberg, who was widely popular with millennials, led a very successful career since the late 1980s when she began working on commercials as a child star.
Her career reached a new level in 1994 when she appeared as Nona F. Mecklenberg on the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. She continued appearing on the show until 1996. This is when she began acting in film, beginning with Harriet the Spy, and then in 1999 she appeared in Inspector Gadget.
By the year 2000, however, she appeared in the hit television Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She appeared in the series as Dawn Summers, the sister of Buffy Summers, and continued to star in the series until its conclusion in 2003.
Michelle Trachtenberg continued to appear in a number of popular films and shows, including 2006’s Black Christmas which was the first remake of the 1974 horror classic of the same name. In more recent years she appeared in Gossip Girl as Georgina Sparks and had several guest appearances on various television shows, including an episode of Criminal Minds titled “Zugzwang.”
Ultimately, this is devastating news, and Trachtenberg’s fans across numerous genres will be shaken by this abrupt and unexpected event. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional news regarding this situation as we have them.