Blake Lively took to her Instagram Stories Wednesday evening to share a tribute to her “Gossip Girl” costar Michelle Trachtenberg, who died Wednesday at the age of 39.
“This is the first day I met Michelle,” Lively wrote, sharing a photo of her and Trachtenberg on the set of “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,” Lively continued. “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. 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 was found unresponsive in her Manhattan apartment Wednesday morning, according to the New York City police department. First responders, who rushed to the scene after a 911 call just after 8 a.m., pronounced her dead. No cause of death has been confirmed, but the NYPD says no criminality is suspected.
Trachtenberg starred in 28 episodes of “Gossip Girl” as Georgina Sparks, a recurring character and frenemy of Lively’s Serena van der Woodsen. Georgina, also a member of the Upper East Side’s high society, was notoriously rebellious and known for getting herself and those around her into trouble.
