Michelle Trachtenberg: Remembering Jenny From 'EuroTrip'

Michelle Trachtenberg possessed a rare talent, conveying more with her eyes than many could with pages of dialogue. In fact, her career, though remarkable, hinted at even greater potential. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Gossip Girl and beyond, she displayed an impressive range and was among the defining figures of the 90s' to late 00s' pop culture. More importantly, as a person, she seemed to exude intelligence and authenticity, coupled with a sharp, often dark, wit that remained with her until the end.

Now, in that light, it might perhaps seem a bit in poor taste to memorise her by focusing on this one teen comedy she did more than 20 years ago. However, be as it may, that's who she was to me and, I recon, to many others—Jenny from EuroTrip. And indeed, why not focus on that, as she was absolutely brilliant in the role. So, that's really all this is. Just a little tip of the hat to celebrate a brilliant comedic performance by a brilliant actress. No more, no less.

Elevating Beyond The Script

EuroTrip, a film about four high school graduates—Scotty (Scott Mechlowicz), Cooper (Jacob Pitts), Jenny (Michelle Trachtenberg), and Jamie (Travis Wester)—on a chaotic, caricatured romp through Europe, is a surprisingly clever "dumb" comedy. While the premise and jokes are often grass and outlandish, their execution is more clever than it has any right to be, while also imbued with a surprising amount of heart. The latter being present largely thanks to its well-matched lead actors. In fact, the key part of the film's humor actually comes from these small moments of perfect comedic delivery from its leads that, on paper, should not be as funny as they turned out. And, well, Trachtenberg, as Jenny, was the magic ingredient here.

Playing one of the more grounded characters in the film's hightened reality, her reactions to the absurdities of the trip added both humor and a touch of realism to this escapade. Often, it was Trachtenberg's facial expressions, rather than scripted lines, that truly sold some of the scenes. Moments like the "miscusci" scene or Scotty's "hash brownie meltdown" are not just funny but actually great examples of the innate ability to elevate material with simply her expressions.

Her chemistry with her co-stars was equally remarkable. While all the leads delivered strong performances (almost underrated considering the tone of the movie they were in), Trachtenberg shone most in conveying a sense of genuine, long-standing friendship between them. Again, the devil was in the details: Jenny's small moments of exasperation with Cooper, little but sweet instances of being a supportive friend for Scotty, and her playful banter as opposite parts of "the worst twins ever" duo with Jamie. These small moments really made you feel like they have been a gang forever. And Trachtenberg played a big, perhaps even the key part in it.

It was this inherent humanity that allowed Trachtenberg to transform Jenny from a potential "girl next door" stereotype into a three-dimensional character. Though she was the only female member of the group, her gender never felt like a defining trait. She begins the trip with romantic expectations, but Trachtenberg's portrayal cleverly helps to subvert this, turning it into a source of comedic payoff. She was arguably the most mature of the group, yet embraced the chaotic adventure, revealing a mischievous side.

The key here is that this never felt contrived for comedy, but rather a genuine expression of Jenny's personality. In other words, a testament to Trachtenberg's ability to infuse sincerity into her roles beyond the script.

That's not to say that she didn't deliver on the scripted parts. Her comedic timing was impeccable and is present in many of the films funniest scenes. The way how she was able to know what to do before the film's directors could give their notes along with her ability to play it straight in absurd situations was a hallmark of not just a great comedic talent, but a great actress in general. One worthy of celebrating and remembering.

So, here's a heartfelt thank you to Michelle Trachtenberg, one truly awesome actress. Her performances, filled with subtle expressions and genuine humanity, will continue to be enjoyed (with EuroTrip being the raunchy top of that iceberg). Rest easy, Michelle.