Michelle Trachtenberg’s was tragically found dead at her apartment in New York City on February 26, 2025, and her former Gossip Girl co-star Leighton Meester has spoken out about the tragedy
Leighton Meester has spoken out for the first time about the shock death of her Gossip Girl co-star Michelle Trachtenberg, describing the loss as “devastating”.
The actress, 39, who played Queen Bee Blair Waldorf on the hit series, opened up about the tragedy in a new interview with Flaunt, saying the news hit her particularly hard because they were the same age.
“She was a wonderful, talented person, and everyone loved her,” Meester said. “It’s very, very sad for everyone who knew her.”
Meester and Trachtenberg, who played fan-favourite bad girl Georgina Sparks, starred alongside each other in the iconic teen drama from 2007 to 2012.
Reflecting on the show’s enduring legacy, Meester added: “Now I can see that it continues, in some ways, even more so than back then, to live on, which is incredible.”
Last month, Penn Badgley, who played Dan Humphries in the show, spoke out about her passing.
Badgley said: “What I remember of her is she was incredibly quick to laugh,” he told the outlet. “She was really joyous. We all have our ups and downs, our lights and shadows, but she had this — I mean, she was mature, but she had this childlike, joyous laugh.”
Trachtenberg’s death has left fans and castmates heartbroken, with tributes continuing to pour in.
US actress Michell Trachtenberg was found “unconscious and unresponsive” in her New York Apartment in February.
Authorities in New York have confirmed the cause of death of the actress, two months after she was found deceased in her New York City apartment at the age of 39. According to reports from TMZ, the medical examiner has determined that Michelle died from complications related to diabetes, specifically “complications of diabetes mellitus”.
The lab results did not specify whether Michelle had type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This update comes after it was reported that Michelle’s family had declined an autopsy and her death was “undetermined”.
In February, Michelle was tragically found dead at a residential location in New York.
Emergency services responded to a call at One Columbus Place in New York, where Michelle was pronounced dead at the scene. A source told People shortly after her passing that Michelle had confided in close friends about her struggles with her physical and emotional health in the year leading up to her death.
The source revealed: “She was really, really sick and was open with those close to her about her struggles,” also noting that she appeared “pale, gaunt, and very thin.”
Michelle was an Orthodox Jew, and her family had refused an autopsy on religious grounds.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
