‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ Star Michelle Trachtenberg Passes Away at 39
Today, we received the heartbreaking news about the passing of actor Michelle Trachtenberg, who was just 39 years old. Millennials like me grew up with her face on the TV, whether as the titular Harriet in Harriet The Spy or as Dawn, Buffy’s little sister, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It may sound hyperbolic to some, but as a young girl who grew up watching her play strong female characters, she constantly inspired me and my friends to be our best selves.
So why write about her for a horror website if she started as a child star who predominantly appeared in movies for younger audiences? Well, she was more than a child star armed with a magnifying glass or a pair of ice skates (Ice Princess made this uncoordinated writer want to learn how to ice skate). She was also a multi-faceted performer who appeared in several genre titles, including the aforementioned Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the divisive Black Christmas remake from 2006, and the tragic Mysterious Skin. She even appeared in four episodes of Six Feet Under.
Breaking Out In Buffy
As Dawn, Trachtenberg brought a new energy to Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Her character was introduced in the first episode of season five. But maybe introduced is the wrong word. She simply appeared, as if she’d always been part of the story. But don’t worry, her true origins are later revealed (she’s a mysterious inter-dimensional being that acts as a key between worlds). Once her backstory is revealed, her relationship with Buffy transforms into something more complex yet beautiful. While Trachtenberg got her start in films meant for younger audiences, this was her breakout role in the horror world. She appeared in 66 episodes until the series ended in 2003.
Tragedy in Mysterious Skin
Just a year later, she appeared in the tragic 2004 film Mysterious Skin, directed by queer icon Greg Araki. While her character, Wendy, isn’t the film’s main focus, she plays a crucial role as best friend to Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Neil, a young man struggling with his sexuality and trying to find his place in the world. Instead of looking like the typical preppy high school student like in Buffy, here Trachtenberg got to tap into a darker, edgier side of herself, playing a kid just looking for an escape from her shitty life and shitty hometown, while also trying to save the life of her self-destructive best friend.
While her bright eyes and smile still sparkled with youth, Wendy’s styling took Trachtenberg to another place, one where she wasn’t just a precocious kid. She wanted to be taken more seriously, and this film proved she could handle more intense subject matter.
Melissa Trachtenberg Goes To School in Black Christmas
Then, in 2006, Trachtenberg got the true horror movie treatment where she starred as one of the ill-fated sorority sisters in Glen Morgan’s take on Black Christmas. Here, Trachtenberg once again transformed into a different kind of character, this time playing Melissa, a sorority girl who loves wine and her fellow sorority sisters. There’s no real Barb analog in this adaptation, but I’d like to think that Melissa is a spiritual successor to horror’s favorite chaotic bisexual with her quick wit and penchant for sarcasm.
Plus, watching her rapidly text on a pink Razr? An image we should never forget.
Ultimately, the loyal Trachtenberg meets her end in a hilariously meta way: with an ice skate to the back of her head. You gotta love a call back to her early career (Ice Princess, if you needed a reminder) while simultaneously reminding the audience that this actor isn’t a kid anymore.
A Long Legacy Even At 39
After Black Christmas, Trachtenberg never really came back to the genre proper, though she did make appearances in series like Sleepy Hollow and thrillers like Sexy Evil Genius. While Trachtenberg may have taken a hiatus from horror, she left an indelible mark on the genre, whether as the sweet kid sister or pissed-off college student trying to keep herself and her friends alive. This speaks more broadly to Trachtenberg’s influence in her short time on Earth. While she looked like an All-American girl, she wasn’t afraid to play against type and try new things.
As a person who grew up with Michelle Trachtenberg as a role model, this news is just like an ice skate to the back of the head: surprising and deeply painful. Sure, celebrity worship is becoming a thing of the past, but tell that to little me who watched Ice Princess and the live-action Inspector Gadget way too many times to count. So tonight, in her honor, watch your favorite episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer or put Black Christmas (2006) on in the background. And never forget about the girl with the bright eyes, shining smile, and tenacity to play any role thrown her way.
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