Michelle Trachtenberg

Michelle Trachtenberg
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Name:
Michelle Trachtenberg
Who is:
Birth date:
Place of birth:
New York
Death date:
26 February (39 y.o.)
Height:
5'7 ft ()
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Birth Sign:
(characteristic)
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Photos: Michelle Trachtenberg

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Biography of Michelle Trachtenberg

Michelle Trachtenberg was an American actress, known for her role as Dawn Summers in the cult series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." She was also known as Jenny from the teen comedy "EuroTrip" and the cunning schemer and manipulator Georgina Sparks from the series "Gossip Girl."
Actress Michelle Trachtenberg in a red dress and bright makeup with red lipstick matching the dress color
Actress Michelle Trachtenberg
Source: @michelletrachtenberg
After a promising start with roles in hit 2000s projects, Trachtenberg gradually stepped back from major productions, appearing mainly in guest spots and cartoon voice work. In February 2025, Michelle passed away after a long illness.

Childhood and Early Roles

Michelle Trachtenberg was born on October 11, 1985, to a Jewish family in New York City. Her mother, Lana Trachtenberg, emigrated from Russia. Michelle's father, Michael Trachtenberg, was a German-born fiber optics engineer. Michelle had a sister, Irene, who was seven years older.
A little girl in a white dress with pink curlers in her hair
Michelle Trachtenberg as a child
Source: @michelletrachtenberg
Michelle made her screen debut at the age of three in a commercial for Wisk detergent. She then appeared in commercials for Burger King and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. At five, she landed her first role in a TV series, an episode of "Law & Order."
A little girl in a dress with curly hair
Michelle Trachtenberg in a Burger King commercial
Source:
The talented young actress caught attention, and in 1993 she began working with children's network Nickelodeon. She first had a cameo as Elsie in "Clarissa Explains It All," then landed a bigger role as Nona in "The Adventures of Pete & Pete," appearing in 14 episodes.

Like her future "Buffy" co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar, Trachtenberg appeared in the soap opera "All My Children" (from 1993 to 1996) as Lily Montgomery.

In 1996, her career took off when she scored the lead role in Nickelodeon's feature film "Harriet the Spy," based on Louise Fitzhugh's children's book.
Actress Michelle Trachtenberg as a child, wearing a red sweater, striped arm warmers, and a green headband
Scene from the movie 'Harriet the Spy'
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She played a curious, observant girl who dreams of becoming a writer and keeps a journal, recording her observations about the people around her. Harriet plays spy, secretly watching neighbors and classmates while writing down everything she sees, including her brutally honest opinions. After this, Trachtenberg moved from New York to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.

Though Michelle entered show business very young, her parents worked to give her a relatively normal childhood and education (Michelle did most of her schooling remotely).

Acting Career

In 1997, she landed a role in the series "Meego," and in 1999, appeared in the films "Inspector Gadget" and "Can't Be Heaven."

She gained fame playing Dawn Summers, the younger sister of the heroine in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." She first appeared in the fifth season and continued until the series finale in 2003.
Actresses Michelle Trachtenberg and Sarah Michelle Gellar pose in an embrace
Michelle Trachtenberg and Sarah Michelle Gellar starred together in 'Buffy'
After wrapping "Buffy," Michelle landed a role in the teen comedy "EuroTrip" alongside Jacob Pitts. She played Jenny, a friend of the main character Scott, who's trying to get over a painful breakup and travels across Europe to meet his online pen pal.
Michelle Trachtenberg in 'EuroTrip'
Trachtenberg took on a more dramatic role in Gregg Araki's drama "Mysterious Skin," which was released in 2004, alongside "EuroTrip." Her filmography includes other notable projects: "Six Feet Under," "House M.D.," and the comedy "Ice Princess."
Michelle Trachtenberg in a red skater costume dances on the ice, arms raised upwards
Still from the film 'Ice Princess'
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She scored a notable role as manipulative socialite Georgina Sparks in "Gossip Girl." In the early 2020s, she reprised the role in HBO Max's reboot of the series, which became her final Hollywood project.
Leighton Meester and Michelle Trachtenberg in the third season of 'Gossip Girl'
Still from the series 'Gossip Girl' (Season 3)
Source:

Michelle Trachtenberg's Personal Life

Michelle Trachtenberg never married, but she had quite an active dating life. She dated several well-known actors and musicians over the years.

In 2004, she began a romance with actor Shawn Ashmore. The pair met at an Oscars party. They split in 2006, after which she briefly dated Pete Wentz, bassist for Fall Out Boy.
Actress Michelle Trachtenberg and musician Pete Wentz are hugging while people are having fun in the background
Michelle Trachtenberg and Pete Wentz
After that, Trachtenberg dated actor Jason Lewis, musician Joshua Radin, and actor Jason Segel. In 2010, she was rumored to be in a relationship with singer Josh Groban, and in 2014, with rapper Kid Cudi.

In 2020, Michelle started dating Jay Cohen, a talent agent 23 years her senior. Their relationship lasted until the actress's death in late February 2025.
Actress Michelle Trachtenberg and Jay Cohen take a joint selfie
Michelle Trachtenberg and Jay Cohen
Source: Jay Cohen's social media

Final Years and Death

Michelle Trachtenberg passed away on February 26, 2025. The actress was 39 years old. Police found her body in her New York apartment.
Michelle Trachtenberg in a white shirt, hair pulled back
Michelle Trachtenberg at the red carpet of the 26th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony
People magazine reported, citing sources, that Michelle had undergone liver transplant surgery shortly before her death.
A selfie of actress Michelle Trachtenberg, the whites of her eyes have a yellowish tint
Michelle Trachtenberg in 2024
Source: @michelletrachtenberg
Health concerns about Trachtenberg started circulating in early 2024. In recent photos, the actress looked noticeably thinner (which many attributed to buccal fat removal surgery). Fans also noticed yellowing in the whites of her eyes, which typically signals liver issues. However, Michelle did not comment on the changes in her appearance.