Michelle Trachtenberg’s Gossip Girl co-star Ed Westwick speaks out after her tragic death

Following the shocking news that Michelle Trachtenberg passed away at the age of 39, Ed Westwick has led tributes to the late actress.

News of Michelle’s death emerged on Wednesday, with reports revealing she had been found dead at her home in New York. After police confirmed her passing, her cause of death was later identified as “natural causes,” meaning that it was not being looked into because it was suspicious.

Fans became concerned after she shared selfies on social media showing her looking frail just days before her shock death, and it was also revealed that the star had recently undergone a liver transplant. Before taking on iconic roles as Georgina Sparks in the hit teen drama Gossip Girl and Dawn Summers in the beloved supernatural series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the actress rose to fame as a child star in shows like The Adventures of Pete and Pete and Harriet the Spy.

After playing Chuck Bass alongside her on Gossip Girl, British actor Ed, 37, was the first of Michelle’s co-stars to pay tribute to her. The actor shared a character-based image of the actress on Instagram following the news of her passing on Wednesday.

In an accompanying message, he wrote: “So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg Sending prayers”. He added a white heart emoji and two praying hands emoji.

David Boreanaz, who portrayed Angel on the supernatural series, also paid tribute to the actress who played Dawn Summers on the show on social media. The actor wrote: “So very sad. Horrible news. RIP and prayers to her and her family”.

Trachtenberg was just nine-years-old when she found fame, appearing in the classic 1990s Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete and Pete, in which she played Nona F. Mecklenberg. She became a household name as a young actress, playing Harriet the Spy, before transitioning to acting in 2024.

Fans expressed concern about Trachtenberg’s appearance as frail in social media posts that were shared less than a week before her passing a few days before her passing was reported. A blue jumper with an animal embroidered on the front was posted as she took to Instagram to post a picture of herself. She wrote at the time: “Eye of the Tiger” – while including a lion emoji and an emoji of the evil eye symbol, which is seen as a symbol of protection.

She had previously shared a photo of herself with sunglasses perched on her head that read, “The warmth before the storm.” In the days that followed, she shared a collection of throwback photos showing her at events, in character or on red carpets.

Trachtenberg’s frail appearance in the more recent images was the subject of fan speculation, but the actress herself refuted this theory. She wrote in a post last year: “I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I’m happy and healthy despite never having plastic surgery. Check yourself haters”.

Following the announcement of her passing, her fans flooded her posts’ comments in pay tribute. She raised all of us who were raised in the 2000s, may she rest in peace, a dejected fan wrote in a message. And another typed: “R. I. P Michelle!! Such a talent! It’s going to be even sadder to watch her as Dawn now that I’ve fallen for Buffy season 5.

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Source: Mirror