Actress Michelle Trachtenberg, of "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" and "‘Gossip Girl", passes aged 39

Michelle Trachtenberg, the actress who rose to fame as a child star in Harriet the Spy and later gained recognition for her roles in Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died at the age of 39, according to New York City police.

Officers responded to a 911 call early Wednesday morning and found Trachtenberg unconscious and unresponsive in a Manhattan apartment, an NYPD spokesperson said. Emergency medical services arrived and pronounced her dead at the scene.

Though the investigation remains ongoing "criminality is not suspected" police stated. The official cause of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner’s office.

Trachtenberg first captured audiences with her comedic timing, making her a natural fit for "Nickelodeon’s ‘90s" lineup. She gained early attention on "The Adventures of Pete & Pete" before starring in Nickelodeon's first feature film, "Harriet the Spy" (1996), alongside Rosie O’Donnell and J. Smith-Cameron. 

In 2000, she took on the role of Dawn Summers, Buffy’s younger sister, on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

Transitioning into more mature roles, she starred in "Eurotrip" (2004), "Six Feet Under" (2005), and "Ice Princess" (2005).

Her moment of reinvention arrived thanks to "Gossip Girl", where she played the villainous Georgina Sparks, a scheming socialite who stirred up some of the show’s most memorable moments. “It’s definitely a lot more fun than playing the good girl,” she told Seventeen magazine in 2009.

Most recently, Trachtenberg reprised her role as Georgina in HBO Max’s Gossip Girl revival.

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