Who were Michelle Trachtenberg’s parents? Killing Kennedy actress’ mom reportedly found her “unresponsive”

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away at the age of 39. The "Killing Kennedy" actress was allegedly found unresponsive in her apartment by her mother at 8 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Emergency services were called, but she was declared dead at the scene.

A representative for her family confirmed the tragic news in a statement, which read:

"It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss,"

Although a cause of death has not yet been revealed, according to a report by ABC, the actress had previously undergone a liver transplant and was reportedly experiencing complications. Michelle Trachtenberg is survived by her parents Lana and Michael Trachtenberg and sister, Irene. The police are investigating the circumstances. However, no foul play is suspected. The statement released by the New York Police Department read:

"On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at approximately 0801 hours, police responded to a 911 call of an aided individual at 1 Columbus Place, within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct."

The statement further added:

"Upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased. Criminality is not suspected. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing.”

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More about Michelle Trachtenberg's parents

Michelle Trachtenberg was born on 11 October 1985 to parents Lana and Michael Trachtenberg and was raised in Brooklyn, New York. Not much is known about her parents, as the actress always chose to maintain her privacy.

Her mother was a banker who had immigrated from Russia, while her dad was from Germany, and worked as a fiber optics technician. Trachtenberg who was fluent in Russian credited her mother for teaching her the language.

"My background is Russian. My mom was actually born in Russia, so I would always hear it around the house," she explained. "And that was the only way I could communicate with my grandparents."

Michelle has all throughout her career credited her mother for her success, stating that it was she was the one who encouraged her to pursue artistic endeavors. In an interview with Black Film, Michelle shared this about her mother:

"She is really proud of me, and is really happy that I’m doing something that I love and am most passionate about, but when I started acting, the first thing she said was: Great. If you want to be an actress, that’s awesome (but) you have to go to school.”

She further continues:

She’s never a stage mom. So she never pushed any of her particular ideals or opinions on me. She always just did what was best and she’s been my inspiring force,”

In 2020, ahead of Thanksgiving, she wrote how grateful she was for her mother and sister Irene.

I'm so very grateful for my 30+ year career, my mom, my sister." she said.

Before continuing,

"As we get ready for Thanksgiving, and most can't be with their family or friends due to the global pandemic. My hope is, that you can still find something to be grateful for. And perhaps: it's just being alive during these wild times."

According to reports, the "Gossip Girl" star had spoken to her mother the night before her tragic passing.

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A look back at Michelle Trachtenberg's career

Michelle Trachtenberg has been acting since the early age of three, making her debut in a commercial. She went on to appear in several projects before landing her breakthrough role in the 1996 film, "Harriet the Spy."

Another major turning point in her career came in 2000 when she was cast as the younger sister of the titular character in the hit TV series, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Her other notable roles include Inspector Gadget, Ice Princess, EuroTrip, Black Christmas, Killing Kennedy, Take Me Home Tonight, Weeds, and 17 Again.

One of her most iconic roles was as the fan favorite, Georgina Sparks in the original Gossip Girl series. When the show was rebooted, she made a guest appearance in its second season.

The news of Michelle Trachtenberg's passing has shocked fans worldwide, with tributes pouring in on social media from her admirers and former co-stars.