Penn Badgley Breaks Silence on ‘Gossip Girl’ Costar Michelle Trachtenberg’s Death

Penn Badgley is breaking his silence on Michelle Trachtenberg‘s death.

Badgley, who costarred with Trachtenberg in Gossip Girl, shared his favorite memory of the late actress in an interview with E! News on Wednesday, April 23.

“I have said this before, but what I remember about her was she was incredibly quick to laugh,” he said. “You know, she was really joyous. Like, we all have our ups and downs, our lights and shadows, but … she had this childlike, joyous laugh. She [was] a really pure heart and it’s surreal.”

The actor, 38, added: “I hadn’t seen her in over a decade, so you know, I can’t claim to have known her well. But really surreal. Really saddening.”

Trachtenberg’s death was confirmed by her rep on February 26 after she was discovered unconscious inside her New York apartment.

On April 16, the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to Us Weekly that the 39-year-old had died naturally, as a result of complications from diabetes mellitus. 

“Michelle’s family knew what the cause of death was likely to be,” a source exclusively told Us earlier this month. “They were aware of her health issues, so it’s not a surprise.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, diabetes mellitus refers to a “group of diseases that affect how the body uses blood sugar,” a.k.a. glucose. Glucose is the brain’s main source of fuel and a key source of energy for cells in the human body.

In March, a source shared with Us that Trachtenberg’s health had been deteriorating for some time. The insider confirmed that the Harriet the Spy actress had a liver transplant in the months prior to her death.

Trachtenberg portrayed Georgina Sparks on the CW teen drama Gossip Girl from 2008 to 2012, while Badgley starred as Dan Humphrey. Following her tragic passing, her former costars including Blake Lively paid tribute to her.

 “She was electricity,” Lively, 37, wrote via Instagram in February. “You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%. 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, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself.”