Michelle Trachtenberg’s Cause of Death Revealed

Michelle Trachtenberg died due to natural causes, as a result of complications from diabetes mellitus. The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the results to People on Wednesday.

Trachtenberg was discovered unconscious and unresponsive in her Manhattan apartment on the morning of February 26. 

The “Harriet the Spy” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” actress’s family had declined an autopsy at the time after the NYPD determined that there was no evidence of foul play or criminality.

Trachtenberg began acting at a young age, getting her start in commercials at three years old before landing her first TV role on the Nickelodeon series “The Adventures of Pete & Pete” in the mid-’90s.

At age 10, she scored her first major film role with 1996’s “Harriet the Spy,” in which she played the title character.

In the early 2000s, Trachtenberg played Dawn Summers on the teen drama “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” which she joined in its fifth season and remained part of until its end in 2003.

She also became well-known for her role on another teen drama, “Gossip Girl,” as the villainous Georgina Sparks. Her character recurred throughout the show’s run from 2007 to 2012, and reappeared on the short-lived 2022 reboot for two episodes. Her other film credits include 2004’s “Eurotrip,” 2005’s “Ice Princess,” and 2009’s “17 Again” alongside Zac Efron.