Kim Cattrall, James Marsters, Kenan Thompson and More Stars React to Michelle Trachtenberg's Death: 'RIP Sweet Beauty'

Michelle Trachtenberg's sudden death is being felt across Hollywood.

Several celebrities paid tribute to the Gossip Girl alum after the NYPD confirmed her death at age 39 to PEOPLE on Feb. 26.

The late actress was best known for her roles as Georgina Sparks on the CW series and Dawn Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Her storied career in entertainment began after she landed roles on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Pete & Pete and soap series All My Children.

Since Trachtenberg's death, both those who knew her and those who were fans of her work have shared messages and memories on social media.

Related: Michelle Trachtenberg, Former Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer Star, Dies at 39

Mara Wilson posted a short but sweet tribute to the late actress on her Instagram Stories.

"My heart is breaking for my childhood friend," she wrote over a photo of Trachtenberg. "Your memory will be a blessing, Michelle."

Sex and The City alum, Kim Cattrall, also made a brief statement about Trachtenberg's death.

"This is Heartbreaking. 💔 So talented, much too young," she commented under Variety's post on X. "RIP Sweet Beauty. xo."

Shortly after, Cattrall shared another tribute to Instagram. Alongside a photo of the two in Ice Princess, she wrote, "Rest in peace sweet Michelle."

Related: Michelle Trachtenberg Shares Cryptic Throwback Photos in Final Posts Ahead of Her Death at 39

Kenan Thompson called Trachtenberg "Our first Nick movie star" in his Instagram tribute, alongside a video of the latter on the network with him. Both got their start through Nickelodeon programming. He also included an old photo of himself and Trachtenberg. Said Thompson, "Our first Nick movie star has departed us!! She was my friend and now she rests!! 🙏🏾 Check on your people!!! ❤️."

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, James Marsters, Trachtenberg's former Buffy costar, remembered her legacy.

"My heart is heavy today. We have lost a beautiful soul," he said. "Michelle was fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny, and a very talented person. She died much too young, and leaves behind scores of people who knew and loved her."

"My heart goes out to her family who are good people, and are suffering the greatest loss anyone could bear. I hope everyone can give them space to heal in this most difficult time," he continued, before concluding, "Godspeed Michelle. You are missed."

Related: Paying Tribute to the Celebrities Who Have Died in 2025

Melissa Joan Heart also paid tribute with a scene of herself and Trachtenberg in '90s sitcom Clarissa Explains It All.

"I'm heartbroken to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg!! So young, so talented and so sweet!" she wrote in the caption. "Here is a fun scene from when she was on #ClarissaExplainsItAll."

She continued, "I think this was about 1992 and the episode was an idea I had about babysitting a total nightmare. But Michelle was nothing like her character and even this young, we got along wonderfully."

Trachtenberg's Harriet the Spy costar J. Smith-Cameron recalled her memories of the late star in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

“I played Mrs. Welch, Harriet’s mother in Harriet the Spy. Michelle had been on a Nickelodeon show called Adventures of Pete & Pete — but this seemed to be her first lead film role,” she said of the 1996 movie. “She was so excited.”

“Her natural ebullient nature was ratcheted up into giddiness as she tried to learn how to handle all that came with that,” she continued. “She was a very charming little girl. Years later we found each other on social media and connected briefly. She was always very warm toward me. I feel very shocked and unsettled to hear of her passing.”

The film's director Bronwen Hughes also honored Trachtenberg in a statement, telling The Hollywood Reporter: "Michelle was like a lightning bolt of a casting discovery. She had fire, she had spark, she had truth, and she had Harriet’s conviction, like her sense of self. No one else came in the room like that. So she had that acting gene that you can’t really teach. It’s innate, which is not something you find very often.”

Noting that she could "do it all" with "total conviction," Hughes added: "She was everything that Harriet needed to be, and she never had a false note, and you couldn’t really take your eyes off her. That was magical casting for us."

Glee star Chris Colfer remembered Trachtenberg by sharing a few words about his relationship with her on Instagram.

"Michelle was the absolute sweetest and one of the most supportive people I knew," he wrote alongside a photo of the late star. "I’m so lucky I got to be her friend. 💔."

In another social media post, actess Melissa Gilbert shared a throwback photo from the pair's 1996 film A Holiday for Love.

"Oh Michy…and we lived so close to one another…." She captioned the photo. "my heart aches for your family and all those who loved you so…"

Hairstylist Tracey Cunningham reacted to the tragic news with a lengthy statement shared to her Instagram Stories. "It's heartbreaking to say goodbye to someone as kind, talented, and special as Michelle Trachtenberg," she wrote alongside a photo of the late star. "Michelle had a warmth that touched everyone who knew her, with a kindness that was felt in every interaction."

After noting how Trachtenberg's "incredible talent" shone through her work, Cunningham added that "Michelle's love for her family and her cherished cats showed the depth of her caring heart" beyond her accomplishments.

"She brought light, laughter, and love into the lives of those around her, and her memory will continue to inspire and uplift us. Rest peacefully, Michelle," she concluded.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Kristin Chenoweth honored Trachtenberg by posting a photo of them together on her Instagram Story. Beside the image, she wrote, "one of the most precious people I've ever known. I will never forget you, Michelle."

Guitarist and former child actor Zane Carney wrote a heartfelt tribute on Instagram as well, reminiscing about their time together on the 90s sitcom, Dave's World, and how they once dated.

Carney said he developed "the biggest crush on Michelle" after seeing Harriet the Spy and "bought all the merch, rewatched it on VHS and hoped that one day I'd meet her so she could be my girlfriend."

"Then I got a word from our casting director that Michelle Trachtenberg herself was going to be a *gasp* GUEST STAR ON OUR NEXT EPISODE!" he wrote. "I was so nervous to meet her, and the second she stepped on set my feelings for her grew tenfold...also, even though my Mom somehow pulled out the most classic of Mom moves - showing literal baby photos of me to Michelle's mother (of course Michelle walked up WHILE THIS HUMILIATION WAS OCCURRING) - she and I developed a truly deep and special connection."

"Within a few weeks, we were boyfriend and girlfriend (I know, I still can't believe it either). Michelle was my first love," Carney continued. "For her birthday a few months later, my Dad helped me record a version of the Beatles' 'Michelle' which we played over the loudspeakers at her birthday party at The Oakwoods. She ran out of the party half-embarrassed-half-smitten (as kids do) but later revealed how much that meant to her. We stayed in touch all these years and even spoke as recently as October/November 2024."

In a final note, Carney wrote: "There's no other way to say it other than that she was my first love (and I may have been hers, as well...) I loved her brain, her wit, her seemingly unlimited energy, her effortless beauty, her loyalty and how every room she entered became precisely *infinity percent* more fun, just because she was in it. So many others have much more to say, but I just wanted to share how much I adored Michelle and how sad I am to know that I won't be able to laugh or reminisce with her anymore. She was such a unique treasure of a soul and she will be unbelievably missed by the Carney/Heil household. We love you forever Michelle and our hearts go out to the entire Trachtenberg family ❤️ #rip #michelletrachtenberg"

Read the original article on People