Blake Lively broke her silence over her Gossip Girl co-star Michelle Trachtenberg’s death at 39.
The actress is mourning the loss of Trachtenberg, who tragically passed away on Wednesday.
In an emotional tribute shared on Instagram, Lively reflected on their friendship and the vibrant energy Trachtenberg brought into every room she entered.
“This is the first day I met Michelle,” Lively wrote, posting a throwback photo of the two together.
“She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%.”
The Age of Adaline star went on to describe Trachtenberg as someone who never did anything halfway.
“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.”
Lively, 37, remembered her as “fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved.” She even recalled a small but memorable detail—Trachtenberg always carried caramel-scented lip gloss because she “cared about the sweet details.”
Reflecting on the passage of time, Lively admitted how easy it is to take friendships for granted.
“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.”
She concluded her heartfelt message by honoring her late friend’s legacy.
“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, best known for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ice Princess, was found unresponsive in her New York City apartment and was later declared dead at the scene.
The 39-year-old had recently undergone a liver transplant, though her official cause of death has yet to be determined.
Lively’s tribute also seemed to nod to Trachtenberg’s unwavering loyalty, as the actress had previously refused to comment on Lively’s ongoing legal dispute with Justin Baldoni.
Even in her final days, Trachtenberg remained true to the values that her friends cherished most about her.
