Michelle Trachtenberg’s Life in Photos

Michelle Trachtenberg’s Childhood

Michelle Christine Trachtenberg was born on Oct. 11, 1985, in New York City to Michael and Lana Trachtenberg. She had an older sister, Irene, and attended middle school in Brooklyn before moving to Sherman Oaks, California, to go to Notre Dame High School.

Commercials as a Child

She began her professional career at an early age, appearing in her first commercial at 3 years old for Wisk detergent. Trachtenberg went on to appear in over 100 commercials before landing her first television role in Law & Order.

On a throwback photo from the Wisk detergent ad, Trachtenberg wrote, “I’ve always said my first job was a detergent commercial where I was just turning 4 (this is a Polaroid from the shoot that my mom took). Truth be told I was hired to be the baby of the biggest brand of diapers first, when I was 16 months old, but I didn’t like being told what to do. Old habits die hard! 😉 I quickly learned being on set is where I belong. … Born to be an #actress.”

‘The Adventures of Pete and Pete’

Trachtenberg’s major TV breakthrough came in 1994 when she starred alongside Michael Maronna and Danny Tamborelli in the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. She played the best friend of Tamborelli’s Little Pete, Nona F. Macklenberg, who always wore an arm cast.

In August 2015, she reminisced about the “show that was way ahead of its time” and its “bad ass guest stars,” including Steve Buscemi, Debbie Harry and LL Cool J. 

“I still have that compass necklace. #funfact,” she revealed on Instagram.

‘Harriet the Spy’

She left The Adventures of Pete & Pete in 1996 to play the title role in Harriet the Spy opposite Rosie O’Donnell. The comedy film was her feature film debut, portraying a sixth-grader who wants to be a writer and spy. 

Reflecting on the film in 2015, she recalled how the pants she wore in the film “were already too short” amid her growth spurt, but they “made it work.”

“July 10th 1996 the world got to see my dream come true as my first movie came out in theaters,” Trachtenberg wrote on Instagram. “I truly love all of your comments about how #hts shaped your childhoods.”

‘EuroTrip’

In 2004 Trachtenberg starred in teen comedy EuroTrip, alongside Scott Mechlowicz, Jacob Pitts, Jessica Boehrs, Matt Damon and Kristin Kreuk, and it marked a departure from her child star image.

One bikini scene in particular was meant to help her shed that “little sister” reputation. “It was a little stressful. It was the first time that I’ve ever taken off that much clothing — on screen, I mean. But it was such a funny situation,” she told Entertainment Weekly back in 2004.

In 2015, she shared a cute throwback from the premiere, featuring Kelly Osbourne. “#tbt to the premiere of #Eurotrip, twelve years ago when I was 18, and my girl @kellyosbourne came to surprise me and watch this crazy movie,” she wrote.

“I don’t know what’s more shocking to me, the fact that I’m smiling or that I’m wearing a color other than black. 😳” she joked.

‘Gossip Girl’

Trachtenberg entered her villain era when she snagged the role of the conniving, manipulative and never-to-be-trusted Georgina Sparks on The CW’s Gossip Girl. She first appeared on the show in the season 3 finale and would become a recurring character until the show’s end in 2012.

’17 Again’

On the silver screen, Trachtenberg showcased her comedy chops alongside Zac Efron and Matthew Perry in 2009’s 17 Again. “I really only do what I feel I can do the most in. I pick characters that I feel I can bring something to,” she said while at the film’s premiere. “I’d never want to play anything that I don’t think I can make more exciting, so this was a fool-proof situation to walk into. It was great.”

Michelle Trachtenberg on the Social Scene

A true New Yorker, Trachtenberg enjoyed the fashion and party scene the Big Apple had to offer — sans all the drama her Gossip Girl character often brought to the table, of course. The actress was often spotted sitting front row with pals at fashion shows for brands such as Rebecca Taylor, Badgley Mischka, Rebecca Minkoff and more.

Relationships in the Public Eye

With an acting career that spanned more than two decades, it’s normal that Trachtenberg would find love in other entertainers. One of her more high-profile relationships was with Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz whom she dated back in 2006. She was also previously linked to Josh Groban in 2011 and though the pair never confirmed their relationship, tweets from 2014 showed they were on good terms. 

Before her death, Trachtenberg was in a long-term relationship with talent agent Jay Cohen, whom she’d been seeing since 2020.

Michelle Trachtenberg’s Final Days

In recent years, it appears the Buffy alum found joy in posting throwback photos, snapping selfies and her adorable cat Mister Martini. 

In 2024, the actress clapped back at people who had been speculating about her appearance. 

“Fun fact. This is my face. Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have to hate? Get a calendar,” the actress captioned one of her selfies. 

“I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance,” she wrote in another Instagram post. “I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.”

Michelle Trachtenberg Dies at 39

On Feb. 26, The New York Post was first to report that Michelle Trachtenberg had died. Police responded to a 911 call at 1 Columbus Place in New York City around 8:00 a.m. and “upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive,”  the NYPD confirmed to PEOPLE. “EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased. Criminality is not suspected.”

Trachtenberg’s last credited role was in 2023, once again playing Georgina Sparks on Max’s Gossip Girl reboot.