A Look Back at Michelle Trachtenberg’s Relationship with the Gossip Girl Cast

Michelle Trachtenberg enchanted viewers from the moment she took on the role of Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl, maintaining her connection to the series until her passing in February 2025.

Trachtenberg portrayed the conniving Georgina from 2008 to 2012, first appearing in the latter part of season 1. She was the enigmatic frenemy of Serena Van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), always ready to plot revenge. Over the years, Georgina claimed that her baby was Dan Humphry’s (Penn Badgley) and nearly shattered Blair Waldorf’s (Leighton Meester) future when she leaked a tape of Blair declaring her love for Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) just before Blair’s wedding.

Even while causing chaos on screen, Trachtenberg maintained friendships with many of her Gossip Girl co-stars until her untimely demise at the age of 39, as confirmed by Us Weekly, who reported she was found deceased in her New York City apartment. (The cause of her death remains undisclosed.)

Continue reading to reminisce about Trachtenberg’s journey within the Gossip Girl universe and her relationships with the cast:

In on the Secret?

Throughout her stint on Gossip Girl, Trachtenberg playfully hinted at her character’s potential role as the author of the Upper East Side gossip blog. In the milestone 100th episode, which aired in 2012, her character was ostensibly uncovered as Gossip Girl.

“I was aware of the final scene in November, just days before we filmed it,” Trachtenberg shared exclusively with Us at that time. (In a dramatic cliffhanger, Georgina disrupted Blair Waldorf’s royal wedding by revealing her love for Chuck Bass in a recorded confession. She was then shown typing on the long-dormant Gossip Girl blog.)

“I was genuinely surprised by the cliffhanger,” she remarked. “I knew the 100th episode would end dramatically, but I certainly didn’t expect that!”

Trachtenberg teased that her co-stars Meester, Lively, Badgley, and Westwick were unaware of the twist before it aired. “For the ‘big secret episodes,’ only those involved in the final scene receive the script pages,” she told Us. “I was the sole person in that scene!”

It was later revealed that while Georgina briefly seized control of the blog, the series finale disclosed Dan Humphrey as its true operator.

Oscar-Worthy

Three years after the End of the series, Trachtenberg’s bond with her co-stars remained strong. In February 2015, she attended a post-Oscars gathering alongside Kelly Rutherford (who portrayed Lily Van Der Woodsen), Jessica Szohr (known as Vanessa Abrams), and Chace Crawford (who played Nate Archibald).

“Thrilled to see these wonderful people (inside and out) last night,” Rutherford captioned the Instagram post. “Chase, Michelle, and Jessica #GG #PostOscars ❤️.”

Shutting Down Rumors

In 2017, Trachtenberg addressed speculation that leading actresses Lively and Meester had ongoing conflicts during the show. “It’s amusing because while we were filming, there were rumors like, ‘Leighton hates Blake, Blake hates Leighton, everyone hates Blake, everyone hates Leighton, everyone hates Chace,’ and so forth,” Trachtenberg recounted to Vanity Fair. “Honestly, it wasn’t true. We all got along well.”

Hanging in the City

Crawford and Trachtenberg were all smiles during a February 2019 outing. “Oh how I adore this man #nightbefore party … spotted xoxo 💋,” Trachtenberg wrote via Instagram, referencing their time together on Gossip Girl.

Bachelorette Reunions

While their characters were adversaries on The CW series, Trachtenberg and Meester shared a friendship off screen. They showcased this in March 2019 by reuniting at a mutual friend’s bachelorette party.

“Spotted. Ms. Waldorf and Ms. Sparks. In the ballroom. With secrets. I’ll never tell. Xoxo 💋,” Trachtenberg captioned a photo of the two dressed in costume.

She also shared a picture on her Instagram Story, displaying the ladies’ gloves for the event. “Ms. Peacock in the dining room with the knife,” she captioned the post, suggesting that the gathering had a Clue-themed murder mystery motif.

Singing Their Praises

In February 2020, Trachtenberg expressed her admiration for her Gossip Girl cast, stating to Us, “Leighton and I actually dined not long ago, and she’s now a mother.” She added, “It’s incredible to see all they’ve accomplished.”

Trachtenberg admitted she hadn’t watched her former co-star Badgley’s hit series You, but was aware of a meme featuring Georgina in relation to the Netflix show. “[It] claims that I would be the one to take him down, and I was like, ‘I don’t even know what this means,’” shared Trachtenberg with amusement. “Then my friends were like, ‘Well…’ I rely on my friends to keep me updated on what’s cool with the kids today.”

‘Gossip Girl’ Comeback

In season 2 of the revamped Gossip Girl on Max, Trachtenberg returned to her role as Georgina Sparks. In a December 2022 episode, Georgina took modern-day Gossip Girl, Kate Keller, (Tavi Gevinson), hostage in Dan and Serena’s apartment.

Showrunner Joshua Safran revealed that bringing Trachtenberg back was part of the plan from the start. “I always intended for Michelle to return, and we’ve maintained contact over the years,” Safran recounted to Popsugar in December 2022. “When season 1 was announced, she asked, ‘When do I get to come back?’ and I responded, ‘You’re coming back, but I want it to be explosive when you do!’”

Safran elaborated, “We waited until season 2 so that by the time she arrives, the stakes are highest for everyone involved. At that point, she is all about creating chaos and ruining the lives of people she doesn’t even know. To her, it’s a game, and the opportunity to disrupt everyone is thrilling, which is fun for viewers to see.”

Bonding With the Next Generation

“She’s an icon,” said Zión Moreno, who portrayed Luna La on the reboot, speaking about Trachtenberg’s Georgina in December 2022. “I adored her in the original series, and it was an honor to work alongside her.”

Moreno mentioned to Popsugar, “She’s a blast and brings such energy; there’s never a boring moment with her. It was slightly intimidating as I wanted to impress her, but she was incredibly kind and wonderful.”

Savannah Lee Smith, who played Monet de Haan, expressed her desire for more scenes with Trachtenberg: “I didn’t get as much screen time with her as I wished. However, I had one memorable scene where all of us were together,” she reminisced. “She’s genuinely a delightful person to have around on set. It was a bit daunting, but I believe we did fine.”

Staying Quiet on Blake Lively Drama

In January 2025, Trachtenberg posted a cryptic message on Instagram amid Lively and Justin Baldoni’s ongoing legal turmoil regarding alleged misconduct on the set of It Ends With Us. “It takes a tremendous amount of strength to see through all the bulls—. And some dark sunglasses,” Trachtenberg wrote alongside a photo of herself wearing dark shades.

Afterward, a fan urged Trachtenberg to “release a statement on the Blake drama,” adding, “Is this a direct response?”

She replied, “Honestly, I’m more concerned with real-world events, such as families left homeless by the LA fires. But you do you.”

Trachtenberg’s comment referred to the wildfires that swept through Los Angeles in January 2025, displacing thousands. Her remark also seemed like a subtle jab at the situation involving Lively and Baldoni, both of whom are embroiled in lawsuits regarding alleged conduct on their film set. (The trial is anticipated later this year.)

In Loving Memory

“So heartbroken to hear of @michelletrachtenberg’s passing. Sending prayers,” Westwick expressed via his Instagram Story in February 2025, honoring his former co-star.