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Michelle Trachtenberg, star of queer faves Buffy and Gossip Girl, reportedly dead at 39
Michelle Trachtenberg attending an event in November 2023.
The actress was best known for her roles on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Gossip Girl, and Harriet the Spy.
Actress Michelle Trachtenberg, best known for her work in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gossip Girl, and Harriet the Spy, was found dead at age 39 by her mother, according to a report from the New York Post.
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The report highlights that Trachtenberg was found dead "around 8 a.m. Wednesday at One Columbus Place, a 51-story luxury apartment complex in Manhattan’s Central Park South neighborhood." When the NYPD arrived at the location along with EMS workers, the actress was reportedly found "unconscious and unresponsive."
It is also noted that the Buffy star had just undergone a liver transplant.
Many LGBTQ+ audiences consider Buffy as one of the groundbreaking queer shows of all time. Characters like Willow Rosenberg (played by Alyson Hannigan) had a lesbian relationship with another witch, Tara (played by Amber Benson). The depiction of Willow and Tara's love story in the series was groundbreaking lesbian representation on mainstream television.
Trachtenberg played Dawn Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who was the titular character's little sister.
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Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. Otherwise, you can find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. Otherwise, you can find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.
