Penn Badgley Breaks Silence On Michelle Trachtenberg's 'Surreal' Death
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on April 24, 2025 at 10:30 AM EDT
Nearly two months after the tragic passing of "Gossip Girl" star Michelle Trachtenberg, her former co-star Penn Badgley is speaking out.
Trachtenberg, best known for her roles as Georgina Sparks on "Gossip Girl" and Dawn Summers on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," was found dead in her New York City apartment on February 26 after going into cardiac arrest. She was just 39 years old.
According to the NYC Medical Examiner’s Office, her official cause of death was complications from diabetes mellitus.
Two months after news of Trachtenberg's death broke, Penn Badgley opened up about the loss.
Penn Badgley Honors Michelle Trachtenberg Nearly Two Months After Her Death
While speaking with E! News at the Season 5 premiere of Netflix’s "You" on Wednesday, the actor described the news as difficult to process.
“It’s surreal,” he said. “Really surreal, really saddening.”
While the two hadn’t seen each other in over a decade, Badgley reflected warmly on their time working together and the lasting impression she left behind.
“What I remember of her is she was incredibly quick to laugh,” he shared. “She was really joyous.”
Penn Badgley Remembers Michelle Trachtenberg’s 'Pure Heart'
He went on to describe her unique energy, recalling, “We all have our ups and downs, our lights and shadows, but she had this ... I mean, she was mature, but she had this childlike, joyous laugh.”
Perhaps most touching was how Badgley remembered Trachtenberg’s heart.
“She had a really pure heart,” he said softly.
The actors shared screen time on the hit CW drama "Gossip Girl," where Badgley played Dan Humphrey for all six seasons from 2007 to 2012.
Trachtenberg’s scene-stealing character Georgina Sparks was introduced in Season 2 and quickly became a fan-favorite troublemaker, even briefly sparking a romance with Badgley’s character onscreen.
Blake Lively’s Heartfelt Tribute To Michelle
Badgley’s emotional comments come weeks after another "Gossip Girl" alum, Blake Lively, also paid tribute to Trachtenberg with a powerful message shared on her Instagram Stories.
Posting a screenshot of the two together, Lively recalled, “This is the first day I met Michelle. She was electricity. You know when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%.”
Lively, who is currently entangled in "It Ends With Us" legal drama, went on to describe Trachtenberg’s undeniable presence and passion.
“She laughed the fullest at someone’s joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be sometimes, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself," Lively wrote.
Blake Lively Urges People To 'Hold Those You Love Dear'
She even shared a sweet sensory memory.
“She always had yummy caramel smelling lip gloss on because she didn’t just want to sparkle on camera, she liked creating a nice experience for anyone who was in her orbit," she wrote. "Even down to the subtle smell of her lip gloss because she cared about the sweet details.”
Lively emphasized, “She was a kind person, through and through.”
Her tribute closed with a sobering reminder that, “Time passes. You take for granted that you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday.”
“Hold those you love and have loved dear,” Lively urged. “The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle. May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire.”
Inside The 'Gossip Girl' Star’s Final Moments
According to reports, Trachtenberg’s mother discovered her body around 8 a.m. on the morning of February 26.
The actress had gone into cardiac arrest prior to being found, and the NYPD confirmed that officers and paramedics arrived to find her “unconscious and unresponsive.” She was pronounced dead at the scene.
At the time, no foul play was suspected, and her passing initially raised questions due to the family’s request for no autopsy. However, following lab tests, the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office officially ruled her cause of death as complications from diabetes mellitus.
Sources close to the star shared that she had been privately struggling with health issues, though the extent of those struggles remains unclear.
