‘Gossip Girl’ Star Michelle Trachtenberg Died Of Complications From Diabetes

Baila Eve ZismanApril 24, 2025, 6:46 pmHome Featured, News >

The cause of death for actress Michelle Trachtenberg has officially been revealed.

Best known for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, Trachtenberg was found dead in her midtown Manhattan apartment on February 27 at the age of 39.

The coroner’s office had originally informed the public that the cause of Trachtenberg’s death would not be determined, as her family had requested that no autopsies be conducted, due to religious practices. However, a review of laboratory test results found that the actress died due to complications from diabetes mellitus, according to the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner’s statement to Deadline. The spokesperson explained, “Toxicology testing can be done without autopsy.”

In January 2024, Trachtenberg shot back at critics who made harsh comments about her appearance when she posted a selfie to Instagram, saying, “Fun fact. This is my face…Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have to hate? Get a calendar.”

Trachtenberg has an extensive history in television, making her on-screen debut in television commercials at the age of three. She went on to land a recurring role as Lily Montgomery on the soap opera All My Children and gained further attention for her role in Nickelodeon’s series The Adventures of Pete & Pete. She was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for her role in the Discovery children’s series Truth or Scare, and her major role saw her play the titular character in Paramount’s 1996 film Harriet the Spy.

Trachtenberg went on to play Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, entering in the fifth season. She joined the cast of Gossip Girl as Georgina Sparks in 2008 and starred opposite Zac Efron in the comedy 17 Again at around the same time.

Most recently, Trachtenberg made several appearances on TV shows such as NCIS: Los Angeles, Weeds, Sleepy Hollow and House. She also reprised her role in the 2023 Gossip Girl sequel.

Sources close to Trachtenberg revealed to People that the actress had been having a hard time, stating she was “really, really down emotionally” and had “told friends she was struggling in the last year,” as she had recently undergone a stressful liver transplant and was persisting through subsequent medical complications.

An insider reported, “She was really, really sick and open with those in her circle about how much she was struggling…she was pale, gaunt, very thin, and dealing with health issues.”