Blake Lively is mourning her “fiercely loyal” and “brave” Gossip Girl costar Michelle Trachtenberg after her death at age 39.
“This is the first day I met Michelle. She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed,” Lively, 38, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, February 26, alongside a photo of the duo on set of The CW series. “Everything she did, she did 200%. She laughed the fullest at someone’s joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself.”
Looking back at her time with Trachtenberg, Lively recalled that her costar would “always” have “yummy caramel smelling lipgloss on because she didn’t just want to sparkle on camera, she liked creating a nice experience for anyone who was in her orbit, even down to the subtle smell of her lipgloss because she cared about the sweet details.”
Lively called Trachtenberg “kind, through and through” before reflecting on facing unexpected loss. “Time passes,” she wrote. “You take for granted that you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday. Hold those you love and have loved dear. The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle. May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire.”
Michelle Trachtenberg Fielded Question About Blake Lively 1 Month Before Death
Lively starred as Serena van der Woodsen on all six seasons of Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2012. Trachtenberg, who had a successful career as a child actor in projects like Ice Princess, Harriet the Spy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, joined the cast as the deliciously menacing Georgina Sparks midway through the first season and remained a recurring guest star until the series wrapped.
Police sources confirmed to Us Weekly earlier on Wednesday that Trachtenberg was found unconscious inside her New York City apartment. No cause of death has been reported, and the incident is not believed to be suspicious.
Trachtenberg’s representative later addressed the news in a statement, telling Us on Wednesday, “It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time.”
