15 h. ago
Michelle Trachtenberg’s natural talent shone in everything from Harriet the Spy to Buffy | Veronica Esposito
Trachtenberg, who has died aged 39, was the fortunate child actor: successfully pivoting into an adult career peppered with millennial hitsMichelle Trachtenberg: a life in picturesMichelle Trachtenberg, who has died aged 39, is most famous for two very different roles in two very different shows that both loom large in the millennial consciousness. She was a fifth season addition to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, taking on the role of Buffy’s mysterious sister Dawn, a complicated, maturing young woman who came to occupy a central role in the series’ mythology. Four years later, she began a recurring role on Gossip Girl, as the Cruella-squared pot-stirrer Georgina Sparks, whom Trachtenberg once described as “basically the evil bitch from hell”.With their very different aesthetics and intended audiences, Trachtenberg’s two hit series speak to very different parts of her fanbase: Buffy has a campy, B-movie charm, whereas Gossip Girl is as slick and indulgent as a delicious dessert. As those...