The creators and cast of “Gossip Girl” are paying tribute to actor Michelle Trachtenberg, who was found dead on Feb. 26 at the age of 39.
Police confirmed Trachtenberg’s death after responding to a 911 call in New York City. Authorities found a woman, later identified as Trachtenberg, unconscious and unresponsive. There is an ongoing investigation and a medical examiner will determine cause of death.
Trachtenberg began her career as a child star, leading the 1996 Nickelodeon film “Harriet the Spy” before landing the role of Dawn Summers on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” She appeared as Buffy’s little sister on the series in Season Five in 2000 and continued to star on the show until its seventh and final season in 2002.
She then starred in the 2005 film “Ice Princess” and had guest arcs on shows like “House” and “Six Feet Under.” In 2008, she was cast as the duplicitous Georgina Sparks on “Gossip Girl,” one of her most recognizable roles.
Georgina first pops up in Season One and continues to make appearances in every season of the beloved CW series. When Vanity Fair celebrated the show’s 10th anniversary in 2017, Trachtenberg spoke to the publication about the show’s success and its passionate viewers.
She recalled fans attempting to “pet (her) hair” when she arrived on set. “I opened up my trailer door to see, literally, on my first day, I think 40 paparazzi. That’s when I was like, ‘OK I need my own bodyguard.’”
Trachtenberg portrayed the character for 28 episodes and also reprised the role for the recent “Gossip Girl” reboot.
Following news of her death, the show’s creators, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, mourned Trachtenberg in a joint statement.
“We are deeply saddened by the news of Michelle’s passing. Michelle was so funny, kind, and talented,” they said.
“Her portrayal of Georgina Sparks was an iconic fan favorite, and grew from a one season villain to a beloved character who returned over the course of six seasons. She was a delight to have on set and will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with her family,” the statement continued.
Former co-star Ed Westwick, who played Chuck Bass in the original teen drama, also expressed his condolences.
He shared a photo of Trachtenberg on “Gossip Girl” to his Instagram story and wrote, “So sad to hear of the passing of @MichelleTrachtenberg sending prayers.”
On Trachtenberg’s last Instagram post, which was shared a week before her death, fans mourned the late actor.
“She was my childhood. Harriet the spy was one of my absolute favourites,” one Instagram user wrote.