Rosie O'Donnell Reflects on Michelle Trachtenberg's Death

In a new interview, actress and former talk show host Rosie O'Donnell has described the final years of her former co-star Michelle Trachtenberg, who died in February 2025, as marked by addiction and personal struggle. O'Donnell, who starred alongside a young Trachtenberg in the 1996 film "Harriet the Spy," shared her recollections in an interview published on July 16, 2026.

Trachtenberg was found unresponsive in her New York City apartment in February 2025 at the age of 39. The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner confirmed her death was due to complications from diabetes mellitus. In her conversation, O'Donnell did not dispute the official cause but emphasized the actress's concurrent battles.

"In the last few years, when she was in pretty bad shape, she would call me and we would talk," O'Donnell said. She recounted contacting Trachtenberg's mother to understand the situation, learning from her "what was happening, and how long it had been happening." O'Donnell said she and Trachtenberg made plans to meet on several occasions, but the actress repeatedly failed to appear. "We were supposed to see each other three or four times, and she just never showed up-sometimes...