Rosie O\u2019Donnell claims Michelle Trachtenberg struggled with addiction before her death, calling the loss of her Harriet the Spy co-star a \u201ctragedy\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the last few years, when she was in pretty bad shape, she would call me and we would talk,\u201d the former talk show host told Variety<\/a> in an interview published Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cI also called her mother to find out what was going on, and her mother told me what was happening, and how long it had been happening,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were supposed to see each other three or four times, and she just never showed up \u2013 sometimes at restaurants, other times at my house where we\u2019d had someone prepare the whole meal. I would call her and go, \u2018Honey, are you heading over?\u2019 and she\u2019d go, \u2018Was that today?\u2019 She was not in good shape.\u201d<\/p>\n The talk show icon also said she wished she \u201ccould have done more\u201d for Trachtenberg. <\/p>\n \u201cI tried to help her as much as I could, but she was inaccessible toward the end, and it was tragic.\u201d<\/p>\n The former View panellist, 64, further shared that Trachtenberg \u2013 who died in February 2025<\/a> at the age of 39 \u2013 \u201cwas a real genius child who was able to memorise anything, pick up her lines, you could improvise with her, and she was connected and right there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe was so close to her mother, Lana, and her sister, who\u2019s a ballerina,\u201d the Sleepless in Seattle actress recalled.<\/p>\n O\u2019Donnell said they were \u201ca very loving family\u201d before the Gossip Girl actress allegedly \u201cgot into drugs and alcohol, I believe\u201d and she \u201clost touch with her\u201d.<\/p>\n The Flintstones star confessed that she \u201cdidn\u2019t think that [Trachtenberg] would die\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWith most people suffering from addiction, their loved ones think that they\u2019ll survive it, but you can die from your addiction to drugs or alcohol, and it happens too often that it must be taken seriously,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n A rep for the late Ice Princess star did not immediately respond to Page Six\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n Trachtenberg died of complications from diabetes mellitus<\/a> on February 26, 2025. Prior to her death, she had undergone a liver transplant<\/a>.<\/p>\n Page Six learned that less than a week before her death, Trachtenberg seemed to be \u201cin very bad shape\u201d while stepping out at Italian restaurant Sartiano\u2019s with pals, where she was said to have appeared \u201cfrail\u201d and could hardly \u201cwalk down the stairs\u201d.<\/p>\n After fans expressed concern over a January 2024 Instagram photo, however, Trachtenberg claimed to be \u201chealthy and happy\u201d<\/a> in an online retort.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve received several comments recently about my appearance,\u201d she captioned a snapshot at the time.<\/p>\n \u201cI have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.\u201d<\/p>\n