Michelle Trachtenberg Pushed Back Against Fans’ Concerns About Her Health Ahead of Her Passing

Just weeks before her death at age 39, former child star Michelle Trachtenberg was defiantly telling Instagram critics to “get a calendar” when they expressed alarm about her appearance. The actress, who was found deceased in her New York City apartment near Columbus Circle on Wednesday, had repeatedly defended herself against concerning comments from followers about her physical appearance in the months leading up to her death. According to the New York Post, which reported her passing on Wednesday, police sources indicated her mother discovered her body, though the cause of death remains unclear.

Last January, Trachtenberg directly addressed mounting speculation about her health when followers expressed worry after she shared photos where she appeared noticeably thin. “I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters,” she wrote beneath an Instagram selfie posted Jan. 18, 2024.

The concerns intensified after Trachtenberg posted a photo with former Spy Kids actress Alexa PenaVega earlier that week. When one commenter directly asked if she was unwell, Trachtenberg responded defensively: “Explain to me how I look sick. Did you lose a calendar and not realize I’m not 14. I’m 38. How sad for you to leave such a comment.”

Just days later, the actress shared another selfie with an even more pointed caption aimed at those critiquing her appearance. “Fun fact. This is my face,” she wrote. “Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have to hate? Get a calendar,” according to screenshots preserved by the New York Post.

Among the comments that appeared to particularly upset Trachtenberg were accusations of plastic surgery and speculation about potential health issues. One follower had written, “You’re stunning, but you had buccal fat removal. Your cheeks suddenly look sucked in, exactly the same way the buccal fat removal in the face/cheeks does to people. You’ve always been beautiful and still are and there’s nothing wrong with getting surgery, but why lie about it?” Another expressed concern about “yellow in your eyes,” while still complimenting the actress as “a QUEEN” and “a wonderful human being.”

While the exact circumstances surrounding Trachtenberg’s death remain under investigation, sources report that the actress had recently undergone a liver transplant and may have been experiencing complications, though this has not been officially confirmed. Authorities have indicated her death is not being treated as suspicious.

Trachtenberg rose to fame as a child actress in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy before securing her iconic role as Dawn Summers, the younger sister of Sarah Michelle Gellar’s character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She later appeared as manipulative socialite Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl.

Beyond her acting career, Trachtenberg had previously opened up about personal struggles, including being bullied in her youth. In a 2020 Valentine’s Day post, she revealed, “The kids were cruel. There is no need to harp on the past. But I still have scars from being thrown down stairs and slammed into lockers head first.” Her final social media activity came on Feb.18, when she shared a throwback photo with the caption, “I wanted to look like naughty.”