Leighton Meester is opening up about the death of her former costar Michelle Trachtenberg.
The “Gossip Girl” alum said in an interview with Flaunt she was hit hard by news that Trachtenberg, with whom she worked on the CW series, had died in February at age 39.
“It’s devastating,” Meester told the outlet. “She was a wonderful, talented person, and everyone loved her. It’s very, very sad for everyone who knew her.”
Meester, 39, starred as Blair Waldorf on “Gossip Girl,” while Trachtenberg had a recurring role on the show as fan favorite Georgina Sparks.
Trachtenberg, who began her career as a child actor and was also known for her roles in films like “Harriet the Spy” and shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” died from complications of diabetes mellitus, according to the New York City’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner. She was found unconscious and unresponsive in a New York apartment building on Feb. 26, the New York Police Department previously confirmed to USA TODAY.
‘Gossip Girl’ star Michelle Trachtenberg died from diabetes complications
“Gossip Girl” star Blake Lively paid tribute to Trachtenberg in February, recalling in an emotional Instagram post that “you knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed.”
“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 wrote. “She was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself.”
Blake Lively mourns ‘Gossip Girl’ co-star Michelle Trachtenberg: ‘She was electricity’
Speaking with USA TODAY, “Gossip Girl” star Penn Badgley similarly remembered Trachtenberg’s laugh, reflecting, “She had, in the best way, a childlike joy and spirit to her. She clearly loved to laugh, and she was so quick to laughter.”
In one on her final credits, Trachtenberg reprised Georgina Sparks on the reboot of “Gossip Girl” that debuted on Max in 2021 and ran for two seasons.
Meester did not return for the reboot but is set to reunite with Kristen Bell, who served as narrator of “Gossip Girl,” in the second season of “Nobody Wants This,” which is expected to air on Netflix in 2025.
The pair reunited at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in February for a comedy bit where Meester provided Bell “gossip” to read, which was just about the kind of food the nominees like to eat. Bell quipped that the “popes in ‘Conclave’ were better at gossiping than us” before introducing the film about selecting a pope as “Gossip Girl 2.0.”
Contributing: KiMi Robinson
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michelle Trachtenberg death: Leighton Meester of ‘Gossip Girl’ reacts
