Michelle Trachtenberg's cause of death has been revealed almost two months after she was found unresponsive in her Manhattan apartment.
According to a statement from the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress passed away due to complications from diabetes mellitus, and her manner of death was classified as natural.
Michelle's health battle
© Agency/NurPhoto/ShutterstockAfter her untimely death, her family requested that her autopsy results remain private for religious reasons.
They released a statement after news broke of her passing, sharing their grief with the world. "It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time," they finished.
Michelle had undergone a liver transplant in 2024 and sparked concern amongst her fans after posting a photo to social media where she looked markedly different from her Gossip Girl days.
© AFP via Getty ImagesThe 39-year-old hit back at criticism at the time, writing, "Fun fact. This is my face. Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have to hate? Get a calendar."
She was found "unconscious and unresponsive" inside her New York apartment on February 26, with paramedics pronouncing her dead at the scene.
Paying tribute
The actress rose to fame as a child actor in the '90s, captivating audiences as Harriet the Spy and joining the cast of The Adventures of Pete & Pete. She starred opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in the hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the mother of two took to Instagram to pay tribute to her on-screen sister.
"Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you," she wrote, referencing a quote from season five of their show.
Michelle was also known for playing the villainous Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl alongside Leighton Meester and Blake Lively. Blake shared a sweet tribute to her friend after her passing, writing a lengthy message on Instagram alongside a photo of the pair on set.
"This is the first day I met Michelle. She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%," she wrote.
"Time passes. You take for granted you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday. Hold those you love and have loved dear. The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle. May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire."
Her Harriet the Spy co-star, Rosie O'Donnell, also shared a statement after her death. "I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped," she said. Her last credited role was in the Gossip Girl reboot in 2023, where she reprised her iconic role.
To watch Michelle in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, see below...
