Michelle Trachtenberg fans hit out at 'shameful' decision to leave her out of Oscars following tragic death
Viewers of the 97th Academy Awards have called out producers for omitting actress Michelle Trachtenberg from the annual In Memoriam segment of the ceremony.
The late Gossip Girl star tragically died earlier this week (26 Feb), aged just 39.
Trachtenberg - famed for playing Georgina Sparks on the hit teen drama series - was found dead in a New York City apartment near Columbus Circle, with police later telling press they were not treating her death as suspicious.
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A spokesperson from the NYPD subsequently added that an autopsy will soon be conducted on the star by the medical examiner's office to determine Trachtenberg's cause of death.
The actress - who also played fan-favourite formidable assassin Dawn Summers in Buffy The Vampire Slayer in the 2000s - died just four days ahead of this year's Oscars ceremony.
Naturally, therefore, many expected Trachtenberg to feature in the heartbreaking In Memoriam section of the festivities - where the lives of the stars we've sadly lost in the last 12 months are honoured.
Unfortunately, however, she didn't receive a mention.
And her omission from the tear-jerking scene didn't go unnoticed by thousands of viewers watching from home, many of whom have branded producers of the star-studded soiree 'shameful'.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), one hit out: "Michelle Trachtenberg not being mentioned in the in memoriam section of the oscars is upsetting, you are and will remain so so loved and admired Michelle."
Another continued: "It’s shameful that the #Oscars didn’t include Michelle Trachtenberg in their memorial montage of all the actors/actresses who have passed within the year!!!!"
"Not to mention Michelle Trachtenberg in #theoscars In Memoriam was a huge oversight," a third continued.
Another wrote: "Michelle Trachtenberg wasn’t in the In Memoriam….#Oscars".
Following the news of the actress' death, millions of tributes came flooding in online - many of which came from her former co-stars.
Ed Westwick - best known for playing Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl - wrote on Instagram: "So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg sending prayers [prayer and white-heart emojis]."
Blake Lively - who played Serena Van Der Woodsen on the show - also shared a heartfelt message on social media.
Sharing a snap alongside Trachtenberg allegedly taken on the 'first day' they met, Lively penned: "She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%."
The actress continued: "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."
Sharing a sweet anecdote from their days on the Gossip Girl set together, Lively continued: "And she always had yummy caramel smelling lipgloss on because she didn't just want to sparkle on camera, she liked creating a nice experience for anyone who was in her orbit, even down to the subtle smell of her lipgloss because she cared about the sweet details.
"She was a kind person, through and through."
The mother-of-four went on to add: "You take for granted that you get the chance to see an old friend. To paraphrase, the real tragedies in life are the ones that blindside you on an idle Tuesday."
Issuing a piece of advice to her followers reading the tribute, the actress resolved: "Hold those you love and have loved dear.
"The world lost a deeply sensitive and good person in Michelle."
"May her work and her huge heart be remembered by those who were lucky enough to experience her fire," Lively concluded.
Oscars 2025 results: the nominees and winners announced so far
Best supporting actor
Yura Borisov - Anora
Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain - WINNER
Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice
Best animated feature
Flow - WINNER
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Best costume design
Wicked - WINNER
Nosferatu
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Gladiator II
Best original screenplay
Anora - Sean Baker - WINNER
The Brutalist - Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold
A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg
September 5 - Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David
The Substance - Coralie Fargeat
Best adapted screenplay
A Complete Unknown - Jay Cocks and James Mangold
Conclave - Peter Straughan - WINNER
Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard
Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes
Sing Sing - Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar
Best make-up and hairstyling
A Different Man
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
The Substance - WINNER
Wicked
Best film editing
Anora - WINNER
The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
Best supporting actress
Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown
Ariana Grande - Wicked
Felicity Jones - The Brutalist
Isabella Rossellini - Conclave
Zoe Saldaña - Emilia Pérez - WINNER
Best production design
Wicked - WINNER
The Brutalist
Dune: Part Two
Nosferatu
Conclave
Best original song
'Never Too Late' - Elton John: Never Too Late
'El Mal' - Emilia Pérez - WINNER
'Mi Camino' - Emilia Pérez
'Like A Bird' - Sing Sing
'The Journey' - The Six Triple Eight
Best sound
A Complete Unknown
Dune: Part Two - WINNER
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Best visual effects
Alien: Romulus
Better Man
Dune: Part Two - WINNER
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Wicked
Best cinematography
The Brutalist - WINNER
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Maria
Nosferatu
Best original score
The Brutalist - WINNER
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Best international feature
I'm Still Here - Brazil - WINNER
The Girl with the Needle - Denmark
Emilia Pérez - France
The Seed of the Sacred Fig - Germany
Flow - Latvia
Best actor
Adrien Brody - The Brutalist - WINNER
Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
Colman Domingo - Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice
Best director
Jacques Audiard - Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker - Anora
Brady Corbet - The Brutalist
Coralie Fargeat - The Substance
James Mangold - A Complete Unknown
Best actress
Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón - Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison - Anora
Demi Moore - The Substance
Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here
Best picture
Anora
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
I'm Still Here
Nickel Boys
The Substance
Wicked
Topics: Celebrity, US News, TV And Film, Oscars
Rhianna Benson