Roșie O'Donnell haș claimed Michelle Trachtenberg was "not in good shape" prior to her untimely death.

The comedian starred alongside Michelle in 1996 movie Harriet the Spy, and was asked during an interview with Variety if the pair had stayed in touch.

Rosie then replied: "She was not in good shape. She got into drugs and alcohol, I believe, and then I lost touch with her."

She added: "I wish I could have done more. I tried to help her as much as I could, but she was inaccessible toward the end."

Rosie said that Michelle "never showed up" to numerous meetings the pair of them had arranged, but she would " call me and we would talk."

She added: "I 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."

Calling Michelle's passing in February 2025 a "tragedy", Rosie continued: "I didn't think that she would die.

"With most people suffering from addiction, their loved ones think that they'll survive it, but you can die from your addiction to drugs or alcohol, and it happens too often that it must be taken seriously."

Michelle was just 39 years old when she was found unresponsive in a New York apartment, with her cause of death classed as "undetermined" by The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Her family opted against having an autopsy on religious grounds, with a coroner later confirming her death was the result of complications from diabetes mellitus.

Rosie went on to say that "addiction has hit my family, too" - referring to her 28-year-old daughter Chelsea, who is currently behind bars after her probation was revoked following several arrests in 2024.

Rosie explained: "She's been sober a year and a half and she's currently in prison, sadly, but she was born addicted to drugs and never really had a fair shake.

"It's very serious and there are millions of families in America going through the same thing."

Michelle is arguably most famous for playing the role of Dawn Summers - the younger sister of Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy the Vampire Slayer - from 2000 to 2003.

She was also said to be in talks for the planned revival of the show.

20th Television - which is the studio behind the upcoming Buffy reboot - had issued a statement paying tribute to Trachtenberg after her passing was announced, telling People magazine: "Michelle touched a generation of television fans throughout her career, including in her unforgettable role as the independent and strong-willed Dawn Summers in Buffy.

"She brought depth, heart, and authenticity to every performance and will be remembered for her remarkable talent. Our sincere condolences go out to her family and friends - she will be deeply missed."