Michelle Trachtenberg’s 3 Beloved Nickelodeon Projects Every ’90s Kid Remembers

As Hollywood grapples with the sudden death of Michelle Trachtenberg, fans and colleagues are remembering the actress’ remarkable career. The child actress grew up in front of fans’ eyes, eventually starring in cult classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl. She was discovered unresponsive in her bed in her Manhattan apartment by her mother on Feb. 26. She was just 39. The New York Police Department said that the medical examiner would determine the cause of death, but added that criminal activity was not suspected. According to TMZ, Trachtenberg may have died as a result of complications from a recent liver transplant. 

Beginning her career on the small screen at the age of 3, she appeared in a television commercial for Wisk laundry detergent. From there, she amassed a string of film and TV roles. Many millennials will always remember her for her work on Nickelodeon before aging out of the roles and solidifying herself as an in-demand working actress as an adult.

The Adventures of Pete & Pete

Before she was 10, she was making regular appearances on the Nickelodeon sitcom. The show ran for three seasons. The show followed the chronicles of two brothers, both named Pete but referred to as Big Pete and Little Pete, who share different perspectives of surreal events going on in their hometown of Wellsville. Trachtenberg’s starred as Nona Mecklenberg. Her chracter was introduced in the show’s second season as a best friend and sidekick little Pete. It would mark Trachtenberg’s first credited role.

Harriet the Spy

Nickelodeon was obviously smitten with Trachtenberg as they cast her in her breakout role just a year after she began making appearances on The Adventures of Pete & Pete. At the age of 11, she made her big-screen debut in the title role of Harriet the Spy, the film adaptation of Louise Fitzhugh’s 1964 children’s book of the same title. Rosie O’Donnell starred as Harriet’s nanny, Ole Golly. The film followed Harriet who becomes sort of an outcast from schoolmates over her imagined spy career, which she meticulously chronicles in a notebook.  Her performance in the book received critical acclaim.

Figure It Out

Next came a game show. Nickelodeon was known for kids game shows, and Trachtenberg seemingly had a blast participating. The game consists of a group of four different panelists popular on Nickelodeon movies and shows as they try to figure out the talents of different guests. They are given clues that they can feel, see, taste, and also given to them through charades.