Profile Text
Trachtenberg in 2011, photo by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Michelle Christine Trachtenberg
Date of Birth: October 11, 1985
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Death: February 26, 2025
Place of Death: Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Michelle Trachtenberg was an American actress and model. Known for playing Dawn Summers on the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer , her roles also included the films Harriet the Spy , Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish , Inspector Gadget (1999), Can’t Be Heaven , EuroTrip , Mysterious Skin , Ice Princess , Beautiful Ohio , Black Christmas (2006), Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight , Against the Current , 17 Again , Cop Out , Take Me Home Tonight , Sexy Evil Genius , and The Scribbler ; the series All My Children , The Adventures of Pete & Pete , Meego , Figure It Out , Truth or Scare , Six Feet Under , Robot Chicken , Gossip Girl , Mercy , The Super Hero Squad Show , Love Bites , Weeds , Guidance , Human Kind Of , and Meet, Marry, Murder ; the made-for-tv movies A Father’s Choice , The Dive from Clausen’s Pier , The Circuit (2008), Killing Kennedy , and Sister Cities ; and the music videos for “Echo” and “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race.”
She was the daughter of Ilana/Lana and Michael Trachtenberg. Her father was American and her mother was from Russia. Michelle was of Jewish heritage. She had referred to her “Jewish mother guilt,” and had stated that she celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah, and that her grandparents live in Israel.
Michelle spoke Russian fluently. She stated in an interview that this was the only way she could communicate with her grandparents.
Michelle’s paternal grandfather was Jules H. Tratchenberg (the son of Philip Tratchenberg and Matilda Lieder). Jules was born in New York. Philip was the son of Hyman Tratchenberg and Rebecca, who were Russian Jews. Matilda was the daughter of Samuel Lieder and Minnie, who were Austrian Jews.
Michelle’s paternal grandmother was Phyllis Rhoda Birkenbaum (the daughter of Mark Birkenhaum and Bertha Bieber). Mark was born in England, to Ukrainian Jewish parents, Samuel Birkenhaum and Freida Cohen.
Michelle’s maternal grandfather’s surname was Kotlyar.