RIP: ‘Buffy’ and ‘Gossip Girl’ actress Michelle Trachtenberg dies aged 39

Gossip Girl and Buffy The Vampire actress Michelle Trachtenberg has died aged 39.

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The actress was found dead at her home in New York City after officers responded to a 911 call just after 08:00 local time on Wednesday.

An investigation into her death has been opened but “criminality is not suspected”, police said.

‘Sad to hear’

Trachtenberg was best known for her work as Dawn Summers in Buffy, the younger sister of the title character played by Sarah Michelle Gellar between 2000 and 2003.

Between 2008 and 2012, she played Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl – the malevolent rival of Blake Lively’s Serena van der Woodsen and Leighton Meester’s Blair Waldorf.

She also starred in the movie 17 Again, where she portrayed daughter Maggie O’Donnell, comedy film Eurotrip and the 2005 teen film Ice Princess.

Meanwhile, her co-star on Gossip Girl Ed Westwick said in an Instagram Story that he was “so sad to hear of the passing of Michelle Trachtenberg sending prayers”.

Trachtenberg’s first big break into Hollywood came in 1996, starring in the big screen adaptation of Harriet the Spy.

In 2001, she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for hosting Discovery’s Truth or Scare.

Her most recent film appearance came last year when she played the role of Michelle Cody White in Spyral.

The actress recently underwent a liver transplant and may have been experiencing complications.

Trachtenberg is believed to have died of natural causes and no foul play is suspected.

An autopsy will be conducted by the medical examiner’s office to determine the cause and manner of death.

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