Rosie O'Donnell has revealed that Michelle Trachtenberg was 'in pretty bad shape' in the years leading up to her death at age 39. The 64-year-old actress, who co-starred with Trachtenberg in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy, opened up about their final interactions in an interview with Variety.
Declining Health and Missed Plans
O'Donnell said Trachtenberg would call her in her final years, but often failed to show up for planned meetings. '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,' O'Donnell said. 'I would call her and go, 'Honey, are you heading over?' And she'd go 'Was that today?' She was just not in good shape.'
O'Donnell also spoke with Trachtenberg's mother to understand the situation. '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,' she told Variety.
Cause of Death Confirmed
Trachtenberg was found unconscious in her Midtown West Side apartment in New York City in February 2025. The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiners confirmed that her death was due to complications from diabetes. A source said her health had been deteriorating for some time.
Her representative announced her death at the time, stating: 'It is with great sadness that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss. There are no further details at this time.'
Career Highlights
Trachtenberg made her acting debut in the Nickelodeon series The Adventures of Pete & Pete in 1994 and her film debut in Harriet the Spy in 1996. She was best known for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Six Feet Under, House, Weeds, Criminal Minds, NCIS: Los Angeles, Sleepy Hollow, and Gossip Girl. Her final live-action role was in the Gossip Girl remake on Max, where she reprised her role as Georgina Sparks for two episodes.
O'Donnell's Regret and Comparison to Whitney Houston
O'Donnell expressed regret that she couldn't do more for Trachtenberg. 'I tried to help her as much as I could, but she was inaccessible towards the end,' she said.
She compared Trachtenberg's situation to Whitney Houston, who died in 2012 at age 48. 'It reminded me of Whitney Houston where everyone knew what was going on, but no one was willing to say something, and often because the people that are closest to you are employed by you when you're that big of an entity, and they don't want to lose their job or their money,' O'Donnell said.
O'Donnell recalled telling Houston's team after a missed appearance on The Rosie O'Donnell Show: 'This is her legacy, and if she dies it's on your watch.'
Personal Connection to Addiction
O'Donnell revealed that addiction has affected her own family. Her eldest daughter, Chelsea, is currently in prison but has been sober for a year and a half. 'She was born addicted to drugs and never really had a fair shake. It's very serious and there are millions of families in America going through the same thing,' O'Donnell said.
