Remembering Michelle Trachtenberg: 6 Of Her Most Iconic Roles

Fans have been left heartbroken and in shock after actress Michelle Trachtenberg passed away on February 26 at the age of just 39, reportedly from complications after a recent Liver transplant. Trachtenberg was perhaps best known for her role as Buffy Summers' younger sister, Dawn, in the last three seasons of cult classic Buffy The Vampire Slayer, with news of her death seeming especially cruel coming so close on the heels of a possible Buffy reboot.

However, Trachtenberg appeared in a number of other roles, both pre and post Buffy, that made her a beloved figure to Millenials. In the actress's memory, here are a few of her most iconic roles.

1. Nona F. Mecklenberg ('The Adventures of Pete and Pete)

Michelle Trachtenberg joined the cast of quirky Nickelodeon sitcom The Adventures of Pete and Pete in it's second season, playing the role of Nona F. Mecklenberg. At first a recurring friend of 'Little' Pete Wrigley, Nona is later upgraded to Little Pete's best friend after the departure of Artie, the Strongest Man in the World, and thus gains a greater significance in the cast.

Trachtenberg's performance was praised for managing to capture the series quirky humor, the essence of suburban childhood, and her onscreen chemistry with Danny Tamberelli, who played Little Pete.

Tamberelli posted the above tribute following the news of Trachtenberg's death.

2. Harriet M. Welsch ('Harriet The Spy')

Trachtenberg's performance as Nona earned her positive attention from Nickelodeon executives, who eventually cast her as the lead in Harriet The Spy, the first film to be produced and released under the Nickelodeon Movies banner. Based on Louise Fitzhugh's novel of the same name, the film saw Trachtenberg star as Harriet M. Welsch, who finds herself ostracised at school after her spy journal featuring private and brutally honest observations about her friends and classmates falls into the hands of her bully.

Reviews at the time were mixed, stating the film's true moral message may have been too complex for the target audience, but praised the performances of the lead actors, including Trachtenberg. Despite the reviews, many kids who grew up with Harriet The Spy consider it a favourite.

Rosie O'Donnell, who played Harriet's beloved Nanny, Ole Golly, grew close to the young Michelle during filming, and paid tribute to her former co-star after news of her passing.

3. Dawn Summers (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

While some consider Harriet the Spy a cult classic, it was Trachtenberg's casting as Buffy's younger sister Dawn Summers in season five of Buffy The Vampire Slayer that made her a household name. With the character having gone both unseen and unmentioned in the show's first four seasons, Dawn's presence is initially a mystery to viewers, until Buffy's discovery that Dawn is a mystical dimensional Key, given human form by the Monks that once protected it. The Monks inserted Dawn into the memory of Buffy and her friends as though she had always been there, so they would in turn protect her from the Hell-God Glory, the season's Big Bad.

Despite the character's mystical origins, Dawn was characterized as the typical tagalong little sister, and many viewers at the time found her annoying. More recent reviews have been kinder to the character. She is annoying because she is supposed to be, all little sisters are. However, Trachtenberg's performance expertly toed the line of keeping the character equal parts irritating but also endearing, enough so that Buffy and co are still willing to risk their lives for Dawn even after learning her true origins.

Many of Trachtenberg's Buffy castmates posted tributes after her death, but one of the most heartfelt came from Sarah Michelle Gellar, who remained close with her onscreen sister after the series ended. Alongside a selection of photos, Gellar's tribute included a heartbreaking twist on a well known Buffy Summers quote.

“Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you.”

4. Jenny ('EuroTrip')

Post Buffy, Trachtenberg made an attempt to shake her 'little sister' image with a role in raunchy teen comedy EuroTrip. Trachtenberg played Jenny, one of a group of High School graduates on an overseas trip, joining in on a comedic quest to help her friend Scotty locate and reconcile with his European penpal, Mieke, after insulting her when he accidentally mistook her for a male.

While EuroTrip's box office draw was disappointing compared to its spiritual predecessor, Road Trip, it eventually gained cult classic status. Trachtenberg's performance was praised for her comic timing, particularly in Jenny's background facial expressions when reacting to events.

5. Casey Carlyle ('Ice Princess')

After starting her career as a Nick Kid, Trachtenberg briefly became a Disney Kid in Ice Princess. In a story co-authored by Meg Cabot, author of the Princess Diaries novels, Trachtenberg played Casey Carlyle, a book smart teen who, through her existing love of physics, unexpectedly discovers a passion for ice skating.

There was nothing particularly groundbreaking about Ice Princess at the time of it's release, packed with the typical tropes of teen sport movies. However, Trachtenberg made a likeable heroine out of Casey Carlyle, and in one atypical twist, Casey does not actually have to choose between her two talents.. her brain and her sport compliment each other. The film has become a favourite to some, and often recommended viewing for children interested in ice skating.

Kim Catrall, who played Casey's Coach, Tina Harwood, posted a brief tribute following her co-star's passing.

6. Georgina Sparks ('Gossip Girl')

In what is probably her second most well-known television role, Trachtenberg played recurring villain Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl from 2008 to 2012, showing up at least once in each of the show's six seasons. A serial pot-stirrer and master manipulator, viewers knew that whenever Georgina appeared, trouble was sure to follow.

While Georgina appears to make peace with the other Upper East Siders in the original Gossip Girl finale, it seems this peace was shortlived. During her guest stint in the Gossip Girl reboot, it is revealed that Georgina regularly breaks into Dan and Serena's house to hold clandestine meetings without their knowledge, and switches out their lactose intolerant child's oat milk for full cream.

A number of Trachtenberg's Gossip Girl co-stars, including Blake Lively, posted tributes after her death.

Gossip Girl was hardly a masterpiece. It was slightly trashy, guilty pleasure TV, and the final reveal of Gossip Girl's identity is infamous for making little sense. Despite this, Michelle Trachtenberg's performance as Georgina Sparks was memorable and highly praised.

Perhaps, this is largely because Georgina's 'Witch of the Upper East Side' persona was so different to how most knew Trachtenberg to be in life: a sweet, funny, intelligent and talented soul who's light has sadly burned out too soon. She will be remembered by the body of work she left behind, and her memory will be a blessing to all who knew her.