Michelle Trachtenberg Said Rosie O'Donnell 'Protected Me So Much' on Set ofHarriet the Spy

Mar. 15, 2025

News ofMichelle Trachtenberg’s tragic deathon Feb. 26 at the age of 39 is bound to hit fans ofHarriet the Spyparticularly hard.

The actress was just 10 years old when she made her film debut in the 1996 movie based on the beloved 1964 children’s novel, starring as the titular Harriet oppositeRosie O’Donnellas nanny and confidant “Ole Golly.”

Trachtenberg went on to play memorable roles inBuffy the Vampire SlayerandGossip Girl, butHarrietalways held a special place in her heart.

Asked about the film’s 25th anniversary in a 2021 interview withET, she was nearly brought to tears.

Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O’Donnell in ‘Harriet the Spy’.Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock

Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock

“Don’t you effing make me cry,” she said.

“I turned 10 years old on the first day of principal photography ofHarriet the Spy,” Trachtenberg recalled. “Rosie was my biggest supporter. There was a lot required of me. I’m extremely grateful for the experience.”

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Michelle Trachtenberg with Rosie O’Donnell in 1996 and at the 28th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in 2020.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

At the same time, Trachtenberg said she was even more grateful to see fans on social media continuing to share the impact the film had on them.

“ ‘You inspired my life.' ‘You made me become a writer,’ All of those, just beautiful things,” she said of the messages she’s seen.

Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O’Donnell in ‘Harriet the Spy’.Getty

Getty

Trachtenberg said she auditioned more than 30 times to play the role of aspiring spy and writer Harriet in the film. “I still have the striped T-shirt that I auditioned with in a memory box,” she said.

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, theNew York Postbroke the news of Trachtenberg’s death. The NYPD confirmed to PEOPLE that officers had responded to a 911 call at a residence in New York City around 8:00 a.m. “Upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive,” the NYPD said. “EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased. Criminality is not suspected.”

In a Feb. 26 statement,O’Donnell called Trachtenberg’s death"heartbreaking," noting that the actress had “struggled the last few years.”

“I wish I could have helped,” O’Donnell said.

source: people.com