'Gossip Girl' actress Michelle Trachtenberg dies at 39

By Phong Ngo   February 26, 2025 | 08:45 pm PT
American actress Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her role in “Gossip Girl”, died Wednesday at the age of 39.

"It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss," her representative, Gary Mantoosh, said in a statement.

Trachtenberg was found unresponsive by her mother around 8 a.m. at her apartment in Manhattan’s Central Park South neighborhood, the New York Post reported.

The NYPD confirmed officers responded to a 911 call about a woman in cardiac arrest and found her "unconscious and unresponsive." EMS workers pronounced her dead at the scene.

Authorities said her death is not considered suspicious, and the city medical examiner will determine the cause.

American actress Michelle Trachtenberg. Photo courtesy of Trachtenbergs Instagram

American actress Michelle Trachtenberg. Photo courtesy of Trachtenberg's Instagram

Sources told Page Six that Trachtenberg had undergone a liver transplant within the past year and may have died from complications related to the procedure.

In recent months, fans expressed concern over Trachtenberg’s frail appearance in social media posts. Some commented on her drastic weight loss and speculated about her health.

In January, she reassured followers that she was "happy and healthy" and had never undergone plastic surgery. That same month, she posted a selfie with the caption, "Snake it to make it." Observant fans noticed a yellowish tint in her eyes, a potential symptom of liver issues.

Born in New York City on Oct. 11, 1985, and raised in Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay, Trachtenberg began acting at age 9 with a role in Nickelodeon’s "The Adventures of Pete & Pete".

She gained prominence as the lead in "Harriet the Spy" (1996) before later starring as Georgina Sparks, a calculating antagonist in "Gossip Girl."

 
 
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