Rosie O’Donnell is heartbroken following the death of her Harriet the Spy costar, Michelle Trachtenberg, who passed away on February 26, 2025, at 39 years old.
O’Donnell, who starred alongside Trachtenberg in the 1996 film, expressed her sorrow in a statement, saying, “I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped.”
Trachtenberg, who was just 10 years old when Harriet the Spy was released, made her big-screen debut in the film. Another castmate, J. Smith-Cameron, also shared her memories of the late actress. “She was so excited, and her natural ebullient nature was ratcheted up into giddiness as she tried to learn how to handle all that came with that,” Smith-Cameron recalled, remembering the young Trachtenberg as a charming little girl.
The New York Police Department confirmed that officers responded to a 911 call on the morning of February 26. They found Trachtenberg unconscious and unresponsive and later pronounced her dead. Authorities have stated that there are no signs of foul play, and the investigation is ongoing.
Trachtenberg was best known for her role as Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl. Her acting career began with commercials and continued with roles on The Adventures of Pete & Pete, All My Children, and later films like EuroTrip, 17 Again, and Ice Princess. Her last credited role was in 2023 when she reprised her role as Georgina in the Gossip Girl reboot.
Her final Instagram post, shared just seven days ago, showed her reminiscing about wanting to “look like naughty #tinkerbell.”
