Michelle Trachtenberg: A star, her life and her secrets

By: Clémence Burg, Contributor

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Michelle Trachtenberg at the age of 39. Best known for her role as the ruthless Georgina Sparks in the hit series “Gossip Girl,” Michelle Trachtenberg has left a lasting impression with her intriguing performance and detonating charm. Today, the actress is a well-known figure on the small screen, but there's much more to her fascinating story than Georgina's rise to the top of New York society. 

Michelle Trachtenberg, born on Oct. 11, 1985 in New York, began her acting career at an early age. Before becoming Georgina Sparks, she had already appeared in a multitude of TV series and films. She is best known for her role in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” where she played Dawn Summers, Buffy’s sister. Her versatility has made her a popular television figure. But it was in 2007’s “Gossip Girl” that she found one of her most memorable roles. Georgina Sparks, Serena van der Woodsen's explosive and manipulative friend, quickly became a fan favorite, thanks to her ability to cause chaos while remaining fascinating. 

Backstage at “Gossip Girl” was full of amusing anecdotes, and Michelle Trachtenberg had no shortage of stories. One of her most memorable moments of the shoot was her first meeting with the cast. She revealed in an interview that her arrival on the “Gossip Girl” set had been a little intimidating. “I was a new arrival among established actors like Blake Lively and Leighton Meester,” she confided. “But after a few minutes, we became like one big family. That's what made the experience even more enjoyable.” The actress also joked about her role as Georgina. “I thought, ‘Okay, I'm going to play a villain, but it's got to be fun for me too!’ Georgina isn’t just an evil one, she's also a little crazy, and that's what makes her so much fun to play.” 

Beyond the on-screen tensions and rivalries, Michelle has forged genuine bonds of friendship with her castmates. She has often shared off-set moments with Blake Lively, who plays Serena, and Penn Badgley, who plays Dan, on social networks. The atmosphere on the “Gossip Girl” set was often described as light, with impromptu moments of humor between scenes. Michelle, always smiling, said that the greatest challenge of her role was to play someone so twisted, while still retaining an element of humanity.

After “Gossip Girl,” Michelle Trachtenberg continued to act in various series and films, but she also took a step back from television. She invested herself in new creative projects, particularly in production. The actress had mentioned in several interviews that if she were to return to television, it would be for a role that would be totally different from anything she has played before.

She was an incredible actor whom we shall miss dearly.