Michelle Trachtenberg’s Mother Lana Found Her in New York City Apartment

Michelle Trachtenberg Is Found Dead Inside Luxury New York Apartment

Michelle Trachtenberg’s mother, Lana, discovered the late actress’s body in her New York City apartment on Wednesday morning, February 26, according to ABC News.

Lana discovered her daughter unconscious at around 8 a.m. in the former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star’s Midtown West apartment. She was 39.

Michelle’s cause of death was not immediately apparent, but no foul play is suspected, police sources told Us Weekly. Another source confirmed that the actress recently underwent a liver transplant.

Michelle rose to fame as a child, appearing on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete beginning in 1994, and starring in the 1996 movie Harriet the Spy. She went on to portray Dawn Summers, Sarah Michelle Gellar’s onscreen sister on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl.

Her death comes just over a year after she first drew concern over an Instagram photo she posted with friend Alexa PenaVega, in which fans said she looked sick.

“Explain to me how I look sick,” Michelle replied to a fan under a January 2024 post. “Did you lose a calendar and not realize I’m not 14. I’m 38. How sad for you to leave such a comment.”

Michelle Trachtenbergs Mother Found Her in New York City Apartment:

Michelle later posted a selfie where she further addressed the comments.

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

Michelle’s Harriet the Spy costar Rosie O’Donnell was one of the first to express her sadness over the news, calling it “heartbreaking” in a statement to Us Weekly.

“I loved her very much,” she said. “She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped.”

Reflecting on her time filming the movie, Michelle told Uproxx in a 2016 interview that she bonded with O’Donnell the most.

“She was very caring, and so funny,” she said. “When we had to be serious for a scene we would, but we always went back to giggling and playing games when that scene was done. She was a very giving actor, even off camera.”

She added, “Any scene with Rosie was so special for me. She was amazing to work with, and we genuinely had a great time together. She respected me as an actress and I learned a lot from her.”