Rosie ODonnell Speaks on Trachtenbergs Tragic Struggles

has claimed was battling drug and alcohol addiction before her shock death at 39 in February 2025. 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer star Trachtenberg was found dead in her apartment near Columbus Circle by her mother, police sources told ABC News at the time.

It was further reported the actress had  after battling  issues and 'may have been experiencing complications.' Her cause of death was later confirmed to be due to complications from diabetes mellitus.

O'Donnell, 64, who starred alongside Trachtenberg in 1996 comedy Harriet The Spy,  lamented the 'tragedy' of the actress' death - claiming she was in 'pretty bad shape' during their final conversations.

She told Variety, 'It was a tragedy. She was a real genius child who was able to memorize anything, pick up her lines, you could improvise with her, and she was connected and right there. 

'She was so close to her mother, Lana, and her sister, who’s a ballerina. 

O'Donnell alleged that Trachtenberg 'got into drugs and alcohol' before she lost touch with her. They attempted to reconnect in the final years of Trachtenberg's life but O'Donnell claimed the actress would 'never show up' at their planned meetings.

She said, 'In the last few years, when she was in pretty bad shape, she would call me and we would talk. I also called her mother to find out what was going on, and her mother told me what was happening, and how long it had been happening. 

'We were supposed to see each other three or four times, and she just never showed up - sometimes at restaurants, other times at my house where we’d had someone prepare the whole meal. 

'I would call her and go, “Honey, are you heading over?” and she’d go, “Was that today?” She was not in good shape. 

'I didn’t think that she would die. With most people suffering from addiction, their loved ones think that they’ll survive it, but you can die from your addiction to drugs or alcohol, and it happens too often that it must be taken seriously.'

Trachtenberg's spokesman told The Daily Mail at the time of her death. '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.' 

Her death came months after she sparked concern with her frail appearance in Instagram snaps. 

The actress is said to have died due to complications from mellitus, according to a statement from the 's Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

Officials cited lab results in declaring their findings to The Daily Mail. It was not immediately clear if the entertainer, , had type 1 or type 2 diabetes. 

In the timeframe prior to her death, Trachtenberg underwent a liver transplant, a procedure often sought out by people who have severe liver issues, with some as a result of longtime use (the most common reason people get liver transplants in the U.S., studies show). 

Trachtenberg's cause of death was classified as 'natural,' medical examiners said in their  report.  

Trachtenberg's relatives had previously cited . 

Authorities with the New York Police Department told The Daily Mail in February that they were summoned to a Manhattan apartment in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, where Trachtenberg was 'unconscious and unresponsive.'

Trachtenberg generally was not one to speak publicly on her private medical battles. 

Trachtenberg -  - was best known for her roles on the shows Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, alongside and , respectively. 

Trachtenberg portrayed Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl opposite Blake Lively's character Serena van der Woodsen from 2007-2012.

Prior to that, she played the role of Dawn Summers on Buffy The Vampire Slayer from 2000-2003 opposite Gellar.