‘Gossip Girl’ Star Michelle Trachtenberg Is Found Dead at Age 39 Inside Her Luxury New York Apartment

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Michelle Trachtenberg has been found dead at the age of 39 inside her luxury New York apartment, after reportedly undergoing a recent liver transplant.

The actress, who shot to fame while starring in the hit 1996 children’s movie “Harriet the Spy,” was found by her mother, Lana, at her home in a 51-story high-rise near Columbus Circle, according to the New York Post, which broke the news of her passing.

Although her cause of death has not yet been confirmed, sources told the outlet that the starlet had “recently” undergone a liver transplant, with ABC7 reporting that she “may have been experiencing complications” from the procedure.

Police told the Post that Trachtenberg was found “unconscious and unresponsive” by police and was pronounced dead by EMS workers.

Her death is not being treated as suspicious, police sources told the outlet, adding that an autopsy will confirm the official cause of death.

Trachtenberg’s neighbor, Ella Ditraglia, 20, told amNY that she was “devastated” by the actress’s death, saying: “I’m devastated. I didn’t even know she lived here. I love her work and it’s just sad news. My thoughts are with her family and friends.”

The actress, who is survived by her mother, Lana, her father, Michael, and her sister, Irene, was born in New York and raised in Brooklyn, NY; however, she later relocated to California, where she attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks.

Trachtenberg began her on-screen career at an early age, appearing in multiple commercials from the age of 3, before landing a one-episode role in the second season of “Law & Order.”

However, her acting career really took off when she landed a role in the Nickelodeon series “The Adventures of Pete & Pete,” which then led to her first major movie appearance in “Harriet the Spy” alongside Rosie O’Donnell.

She transitioned into more work after landing a lead role in the hit sci-fi series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” playing the role of Dawn, younger sister to actress Sarah Michelle Gellar‘s lead character.

Trachtenberg once opened up about her foray into the entertainment business, describing what a culture shock it had been to arrive in Los Angeles, having enjoyed what she described as a much more “sheltered” life in Brooklyn.

“What was a really big switch for me was going from a place where entertainment was prominent, but not surrounding, and in LA, I feel like you’re constantly surrounded by people in the entertainment business,” she told Radio Free in a 2005 interview.

“I mean, that’s what it is. You sit in a coffee shop, and there’s that producer, and that director is sitting over there. It’s everyone. There’s a publicist or an agent in the corner. So that was a little bit like, ‘Wow, my life is sort of in the middle of everything.'”

At the time, she noted that she was living in Los Angeles full time, having been “bi-coastal for a little bit,” but said that she was still regularly traveling back to New York to see her family.

In more recent years, the actress described herself as living in between Los Angeles and New York City—however, her Instagram posts indicate she had been spending much more time in the Big Apple, where it’s understood much of her family still lives.

The building in which she was living at the time of her death is described as offering abodes that are “thoughtfully proportioned” and offer incredible views of Central Park, the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, and New Jersey.

Spanning 51 stories, the high-rise also features many communal amenities, including a sundeck, a pickleball court, and a wellness center.

Rental units range in price from around $5,000 per month for a one-bedroom to around $9,500 per month for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom abode.

Trachtenberg had shared the odd glimpse into her New York City life on her Instagram account, where she regularly posted images of herself traveling around the Big Apple or relaxing inside her apartment.

She even spent some time with a fellow A-list resident of the city in January, sharing a photo of herself with “Friends” star David Schwimmer, alongside the caption: “Just hanging out with some friends.”