Michelle Trachtenberg credited her “protecting” mom for her staying away from medication and alcohol as a toddler star. In an interview with Complicated in 2010, Trachtenberg—who starred in motion pictures like Harriet the Spy and Ice Princess as a toddler—defined why she by no means experimented with medication or alcohol not like different teen actors from her period.
“My mother was protecting, however she simply mentioned, ‘It’s your selection—you break your profession or don’t,’” Trachtenberg mentioned. “When you notice how fortunate you’re to be sitting within the place you’re, then you definately simply don’t drink, don’t do the cocaine.” She continued, “‘The cocaine!’ I name it ‘the weed.’ I’m drug dumb. I don’t know shit about medication. I simply don’t do this as a result of I’d by no means do something to—God forbid—break my profession. I worth my profession.”
Trachtenberg additionally confirmed that she had been in “conditions” the place she was round medication and alcohol, which left her “overly paranoid” about her environment. “I’ve been in conditions the place I’ve been frightened of placing my purse down as a result of I used to be touring the subsequent day and I knew that there was stuff on the counter. I’m simply overly paranoid,” she mentioned.
Trachtenberg died on Febraury 26, 2025, in New York Metropolis. She was 39 years outdated. Her physique was discovered at 8 a.m. ET at One Columbus Place, a luxurious house on Central Park South in New York, after police responded to a name for a girl in cardiac arrest, in accordance with TMZ. After they arrived, officers discovered Trachtenberg unresponsive and he or she was pronounced lifeless on the scene. Trachenberg’s mom, Lana, was the one who discovered her “unresponsive, mendacity on her again in mattress” and referred to as the police.
TMZ additionally confirmed that Trachtenberg underwent a liver transplant shortly earlier than her dying. In line with the Mayo Clinic, a liver transplant is a surgical procedure that removes a lier that not capabilities correctly as a result of liver failure and replaces it with both a wholesome liver from a deceased donor or part of a wholesome liver from a dwelling donor. Per the group, cirrhosis—scarring of the liver—is the commonest reason for power liver failure and probably the most frequent cause for a liver transplant.
The key causes for cirrhosis embody Hepatitis B and C; alcoholic liver illness as a result of extreme alcohol situation; nonalcoholic fatty liver illness brought on by fats construct up within the liver; and genetic illnesses reminiscent of hemochromatosis (which causes extreme iron buildup within the liver) and Wilson’s illness (which causes extreme copper buildup within the liver.) Different causes for a liver transplant embody illnesses that have an effect on bile ducts that carry bile from the liver, reminiscent of biliary cirrhosis, major sclerosing cholangitis and biliary atresia.
Although it’s unclear why Trachtenberg wanted the liver transplant, a supply informed Folks that, within the 12 months earlier than her dying, Trachtenberg was “actually down emotionally” and had been coping with “well being points.”
“She informed pals she was struggling,” the insider mentioned, including that Trachtenberg appeared “pale, gaunt” and “very skinny.” “She was actually, actually sick and open with these in her circle about how a lot she was struggling.”
A supply additionally informed Us Weekly on the time that these round Trachtenberg knew she was sick however didn’t know the way poor her well being was till she died. “All of us knew she was sick, however we didn’t notice how sick. For a protracted whereas, she had again points after which bone issues; she fell a couple of instances,” the insider mentioned.
The supply additionally claimed that “each time” they spoke with Trachtenberg over the previous 10 years, there was one thing “flawed” together with her well being. “She lived backwards and forwards between New York and L.A.,” the insider mentioned. “Whenever you requested her what she was doing for work, she would say she was caring for herself.”
A second supply informed the journal that “one thing felt off” the final time they noticed Trachtenberg. “You possibly can sense one thing was occurring whenever you noticed her. She was actually frail and had been sick for some time,” the insider mentioned.
A 12 months earlier than her dying, Trachtenberg clapped again at issues over her well being amid hypothesis that she misplaced weight as a result of cosmetic surgery, drug use or an consuming dysfunction. “I’ve obtained a number of feedback lately about my look. I’ve by no means had cosmetic surgery I’m completely satisfied and wholesome. Examine your self haters,” she wrote in an Instagram publish in January 2024.
In one other publish that very same month, Trachtenberg additionally addressed claims that her completely different look was as a result of malnourishment. “Enjoyable truth. That is my face. Not malnutrition no issues. Why do you’ve got you hate? Get a calendar,” she wrote on Instagram. She additionally shared one other publish additional shutting down rumors she underwent cosmetic surgery in March 2024. “It’s good to be #pure 💙💋,” she wrote.
Within the feedback of one other Instagram publish on the time, Trachtenberg responded to followers who claimed she appeared “sick.” “Clarify to me how I look sick,” she wrote in response to 1 commenter earlier than explaining that her completely different look was as a result of her turning into older and never a illness. “Did you lose a calendar and never notice I’m not 14. I’m 38. How unhappy so that you can go away such a remark.”