Michelle Trachtenberg passed away at the young age of 39 on Feb. 26. A 911 call later led to the actress being found unresponsive in her New York apartment. The actress in popular 2000’s shows such as Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer had recently received a liver transplant, and the autopsy shows she was experiencing some untreated complications. No foul play is suspected as of today’s date.
Loss is something that many of us will experience in our lives. It may never get easier, but at least we are all entitled to grieve in private. Right?
Well what happens when a celebrity dies, and the entire world has been following their every step since their debut. Living a life in the public eye doesn’t end the minute you are gone, regardless of the need for privacy in the dark time that accompanies death.
Trachtenberg made her Hollywood debut in 1996 at age ten when she starred in Harriet the Spy. Being a child star can’t be easy, but Trachtenberg grew into a successful adult actor. This isn’t the path for all young Hollywood participants but Trachtenberg did it.
Her ability to play the angsty teen in her movies and shows allowed her audiences to connect to her on the level of relatability she provided. Her love for these roles and the purpose of acting all together was encouraged by her parents.
Trachtenberg grew up in Sheepskin Bay, Brooklyn, where she attended the Bay Academy for the Arts and Sciences. After she graduated from middle school she attended the prestigious Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, LA. It was here she honed her natural talent and blossomed into the star that she became.
The immense fame she experienced in her youth seemed to have taken a toll on her. Though her representative Gary Mantoosh is not disclosing any further details, health professionals have put in several of their opinions.
As of the 28th of February, the two largest speculations on the need for her liver transplant are stress induced auto-immune disorders and alcohol abuse. These are the most common reasons for liver failure, and it would make sense given her past in Hollywood and the stress many experience from being in that environment from a young age. This stress can lead to your body developing an autoimmune disorder, such as Lupus, and if this is not addressed soon enough then a transplant is many peoples only option. This theory seems to be supported by the fact that on the red carpet in 2020 she was walking with a cane that was unexplained, and just weeks before her death while out to dinner and drinks wait staff noticed the star seemed “frail” and almost gaunt.
Furthermore stress can lead to one self medicating with substances and alcohol. Many people who are in positions of fame enjoy a life of parties and glamor, but the liver does not appreciate this lifestyle. Trachtenberg had been an anti-substance and alcohol campaigner her whole life, crediting her mother for warning her about the dangers. However, starting in 2020 rumors began to circle around that Trachtenberg was struggling with an alcohol addiction due to mistreatment by managers on the set of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. These theories could be accredited by her need to have a liver transplant, and the Gossip Girl stars dramatic change in looks and health.
These are all just rumors for now though, and the truth should come out in time. In the meanwhile we grieve the loss of the 2000’s it-girl, and wish her family well as they struggle through losing someone so important.
