Actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell has released a heartbreaking statement following the news that Michelle Trachtenberg has died at the age of 39.
Police in New York confirmed that Trachtenberg, who was best known for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, had been pronounced dead after emergency services were called to her apartment in the city yesterday (26 February).
The statement added that Trachtenberg's death was not being treated as suspicious and said her cause of death would be determined by a medical examiner.
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Tributes from the actor's friends and co-stars have since begun to flood in online, with stars such as Blake Lively and Ed Westwick sharing their condolences. Several cast members of supernatural horror series Buffy have also reacted to her death, referring to the actress as their 'little sister'.
O'Donnell has now called her death 'heartbreaking' in a statement to People, claiming that the star had been 'struggling' over the past couple of years.
"I loved her very much. She struggled the last few years. I wish I could have helped," she told the outlet.
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Trachtenberg had worked with O'Donnell during the early days of her acting career, appearing alongside the The Rosie O'Donnell Show star in 1996 children's film Harriet the Spy. The actress was just 10 years old at the time of filming.
Fellow co-star J. Smith-Cameron has also spoken out about the news, saying she was 'very shocked and unsettled' by the news of Trachtenberg's death.
"I played Mrs. Welch, Harriet’s mother in Harriet the Spy. Michelle had been on a Nickelodeon show called Adventures of Pete & Pete but this seemed to be her first lead film role. She was so excited," Cameron said in a statement.
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"Her natural ebullient nature was ratcheted up into giddiness as she tried to learn how to handle all that came with that. She was a very charming little girl.
"Years later we found each other on social media and connected briefly. She was always very warm toward me. I feel very shocked and unsettled to hear of her passing."
Trachtenberg began her career as an actress at the age of three, appearing in commercials and several Nickelodeon shows. She would later star in films such as EuroTrip, Ice Princess and 17 Again.
"It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle has passed away," a representative for Trachtenberg said in a statement.
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"The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time."
Topics: Michelle Trachtenberg, TV, TV and Film, Celebrity, Celebrity News
Brenna Cooper