Blake Lively mourns ‘fiercely loyal’ Gossip Girl co-star Michelle Trachtenberg: ‘She was electricity’

Ice Princess star was found dead in her New York City apartment on Wednesday. Blake Lively shared a moving tribute to her Gossip Girl co-star Michelle Trachtenberg, who died on Wednesday aged 39. Trachtenberg played the antagonist Georgina Sparks to Lively’s Serena van der Woodsen in the CW teen drama and returned to the series several times during its six-season run between 2007 and 2012.

Remembering Trachtenberg’s dedication towards her work and community, Lively mourned her “big and bold” personality. “This is the first day I met Michelle,” Lively wrote on her Instagram stories, alongside a picture of the two from Gossip Girl.

“She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%. 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.

“And she always had yummy caramel smelling lip gloss because she didn’t just want to sparkle on camera, she liked creating a nice experience for anyone who was in her orbit, even down to the subtle smell of her lip gloss because she cared about the sweet details.

“She was a kind person through and through. 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,” Lively continued. “Hold those you love and have loved dear. 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.”.

Trachtenberg’s death was first reported by The New York Post on Wednesday. Police had responded to a 911 call just after 8am that day at One Columbus Place, a luxury apartment complex in Central Park South, the paper said. Police confirmed they found Trachtenberg “unconscious and unresponsive” and she was pronounced dead by emergency medical workers. The cause of death has not yet been determined, but police are not investigating it as suspicious.

According to the Post, she had recently undergone a liver transplant. The actor, who also starred in Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Buffy’s younger sister Dawn and led the 2005 Disney movie Ice Princess, was found dead in her New York City apartment by her mother.

“We are deeply saddened by the news of Michelle’s passing,” Gossip Girl creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage said in a statement to NBC News. “Michelle was so funny, kind, and talented. Her portrayal of Georgina Sparks was an iconic fan favorite and grew from a one season villain to a beloved character who returned over the course of six seasons.”.

Ed Westwick, who played Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl, said in his tribute: “So sad to hear of the passing of [Michelle Trachtenberg]. Sending prayers.”. The Boys star Chace Crawford, who played Nate Archibald in the series, shared a carousel of behind-the-scenes photos with Trachtenberg on his Instagram.

“Michelle was one of a kind. I remember her coming on set for the first time and just absolutely owning it,” he wrote. “She was a force of nature and just so so unapologetically funny and magnetic...remembering those years with a big smile. Just a terrible loss. Love you.”.