Michelle Trachtenberg plagued by ‘health curveballs’ in final years as friends saw deterioration before death

A portrait of Michelle Trachtenberg’s final days is coming into focus, with those close to her revealing she was plagued by escalating health issues in her final days.

The Buffy The Vampire Slayer — who died on February 26 at 39 — was said to be ‘really frail and sick for a while’ by an industry insider who spoke to Us Weekly on Tuesday.

Others claimed that the actress had been dealing with ‘back issues’ and ‘bone problems’ years before her death.

It was previously reported that Trachtenberg had undergone a liver transplant in the past year, and an insider told the publication that she didn’t hide the fact from those closest to her.

‘She was very open with those close to her about having the transplant,’ a friend claimed, before clarifying that she ‘never went into detail’ about the procedure.

Others close to the Harriet The Spy star revealed that she had spent significant time in the hospital before being released early this year.

A portrait of Michelle Trachtenberg ‘s final days is coming into focus, with those close to her revealing she was plagued by escalating health issues in her final days; seen in 2020 in LA

The Buffy The Vampire Slayer — who died on February 26 at 39 — was said to be ‘really frail and sick for a while’ by an industry insider who spoke to Us Weekly on Tuesday

‘The last time I saw her, something felt off,’ an industry insider told US Weekly. ‘You could sense something was going on. She was really frail and had been sick for a while.’

One person who said they saw Trachtenberg at the Soho restaurant Sartiano’s on February 20, less than a week before her death, said that ‘something seemed off about her.’

A neighbor in Trachtenberg’s apartment building also told the publication that the actress — who looked increasingly gaunt in selfies posted to her instagram in her final weeks — was looking more and more ‘svelte’ toward the end of her life.

As the film and television actress increasingly eschewed show business in recent years, friends noticed several health issues she was dealing with, though it’s unclear if they were related to the condition that necessitated her liver transplant.

‘She had back issues, and then bone problems and she also fell a few times,’ one friend alleged. 

Notably, the Adventures of Pete & Pete actress had appeared at a red carpet event in 2019 with a cane.

‘Whenever we spoke, there was something medically wrong,’ the friend added.

According to another person close to her: ‘Michelle was thrown a lot of curveballs with her health, but she did her best not to let it get her down.’

Others claimed that the actress had been dealing with ‘back issues’ and ‘bone problems’ years before her death

Trachtenberg had a liver transplant in the past year, and an insider claimed she ‘was very open with those close to her about’ it, before clarifying that she ‘never went into detail’ about the procedure; seen in 2011 in NYC

Fans have wondered on social media what impact her previous liver transplant may have played in her death, if any.

The liver plays an essential role in several biological processes, including strengthening the immune system, aiding in glucose storage, removing waste from blood and metabolizing drugs, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. 

Several factors can lead a person to require a liver transplanted, including dangerous inflammation — called hepatitis — as well as cancer, other liver disease or even genetic factors that may make someone’s liver stop working or fail to function properly.

Excessive alcohol consumption can also damage the liver over time.

While it’s unknown what led Trachtenberg to require a liver transplant, if it was related to alcohol use, she would have been instructed to avoid drinking altogether going forward. 

However, a close friend told Us Weekly that the Gossip Girl actress ‘did drink, but not excessively in public.’

‘She was never the type to party hard. In the end, she was more of a recluse,’ they added. 

The full details of what led to Trachtenberg’s death will likely never be known, as her family objected to having an autopsy performed, citing religious reasons, according to Page Six.

Aclose friend told Us Weekly that the Gossip Girl actress ‘did drink, but not excessively in public. She was never the type to party hard. In the end, she was more of a recluse’

Without an autopsy, her cause and manner of death will now be listed an ‘undetermined’ on her death certificate.

‘Under public health law, families may object to autopsy based on religious belief, and provided there is no suspicion of criminality or compelling public health reason to proceed with autopsy, the medical examiner honors the objection,’ a spokesperson for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in New York told the outlet.

The timing of her death was particularly tragic, as Trachtenberg was possibly on the verge of a career comeback, as she was reportedly shopping a screenplay she wrote to studios with director and producer Casey Tebo.

Tebo said the script, called Toy Monster, was one of the best he’d ever read, TMZ reported. 

It is based on the book of the same name and tells the story of Jack Ryan, who left his job designing missiles for the Pentagon during the Cold War era to become chief engineer at Mattel.

He was designing toys during the time that Barbie, Chatty Cathy and Hot Wheels and had a dark side, living a life of excess in his off hours. 

Michelle and Tebo had a deal at a studio for the film years ago, but then the studio head left and the new allegedly head didn’t want to make the film.

Now, he’s determined to bring the Buffy the Vampire Slayer star’s final work to life.

Trachtenberg was working on a new project before her tragic death at age 39 last week. The Gossip Girl alumna was shopping a screenplay she wrote to studios with director and producer Casey Tebo pictured 2020 

According to the outlet, he feels the most ‘tragic’ part of the screenplay is how neglected Michelle’s talents were by Hollywood executives who only saw her as capable of the roles she played in Harriet the Spy, Euro Trip and others.

Tebo hopes that Michelle can get the recognition she deserves and that her fans are delighted about her talent for writing.

He is committed to finding a home for the script and bringing it to audiences. 

Trachtenberg wast set to appear at a benefit screening of the movie Spyral during the annual SXSW film festival in Austin, Texas, next month. 

Jennifer Hutchins, a Spyral producer, told TMZ that the movie team was aware of Michelle’s health issues and only expected her to attend the event — whether in-person or virtually — if she felt well enough.

In her final credit, Trachtenberg was cast to read excerpts from the diary of Randall White’s late wife Michelle Cody White.

The event will go on as scheduled, but will be tweaked to pay tribute to Trachtenberg in the wake of her untimely death.

Hutchins told the outlet that Michelle was ‘one of the sweetest, most gentle human beings I’ve ever had the pleasure to know.’

Tebo said the script, called Toy Monster, was one of the best he’d ever read, TMZ reported; pictured in 2011 in NYC

Michelle is seen here in a still from 1996’s Harriet the Spy

She added, ‘I could tell she cared deeply about people and using her voice for the greater good.’

The producer also gave a nod to the actress’ moving performance in Spyral, recalling that her voice work brought people on the set to tears.

Trachtenberg was best known for her on role teen supernatural drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer spanning 2000–2003.

She played Buffy’s younger sister Dawn Summers in 66 episodes of the hit show.

The Brooklyn native also had a recurring role as ‘The Witch of the Upper East Side’ Georgina Sparks in 28 episodes of The CW teen soap Gossip Girl spanning 2008-2012.

She also appeared in the 1996 film Harriet the Spy when she was 10 years old, alongside Rosie O’Donnell.