Michelle Trachtenberg was the ultimate ‘Gossip Girl’ scene-stealer
The actress was the reason that Georgina Sparks became the series villain we all loved to hate
For millennials of a Certain Age, Michelle Trachtenberg was a constant. Whether it was her film debut in the 1996 classic Harriet the Spy or her appearances on The Adventures of Pete & Pete and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she was an emblem of spunky curiosity to the millions who saw her on-screen. When news spread of her death at just 39 years old, the outpouring of tributes made it clear how inextricable many of her beloved roles were from her fans’ childhood memories.
Standing out among them is a role that Trachtenberg took on when she was in her early twenties: Gossip Girl’s Georgina Sparks. When Georgina showed up in Season One, the actress was already a well-established legend to the show’s adolescent audience. But it was more than her mere appearance that made Georgina stand out: Trachtenberg sunk her teeth into the role of the show’s best villain with glee.
Georgina was introduced as a foil to a “reformed” Serena Van Der Woodsen (played by Blake Lively). Serena and Georgina had been party friends while attending boarding school in Switzerland before they both return to the Upper East Side. Georgina was the type of sly, manipulative, wild child socialite that made a show like Gossip Girl so juicy and fun: she turned her old friend back into a party girl while wreaking havoc amongst the already fraught friend group.
Georgina was the show’s most frequent recurring guest through its original six seasons, and every plot line grew more ridiculous and over-the-top than the last. Blackmail! Disguises! Paternity tests! Trachtenberg sold each and every one with impeccable comedic timing and the perfectly sinister cattiness a character like Georgina deserves. She even delivers the series’ most iconic line: “Well, you can tell Jesus that the bitch is back.”
It was no wonder that the show’s creators brought Trachtenberg back for the show’s 2021 sequel series. Her character’s son Milo (Azhy Robertson) is seen during Season One but the real draw was the lingering promise of Georgina’s return. When she does make a cameo in Season Two, in what is now one of Trachtenberg’s final appearances on screen, she steals as many scenes as she did during the show’s heyday. And if it wasn’t clear before she stepped on screen as Georgina Sparks the first time, it’s clear now that Trachtenberg was one of the most defining and memorable teen stars of her generation.