Overview
- On Thursday, Rosie O'Donnell told Variety that she reconnected with Michelle Trachtenberg in the years before her death and believes Trachtenberg "got into drugs and alcohol" and was "not in good shape."
- The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled Trachtenberg’s February 26, 2025 death was from complications of diabetes mellitus after laboratory testing amended an initial undetermined finding requested by the family.
- Media reports that Trachtenberg had a prior liver transplant are based on unnamed sources and have not been included in the official public medical report.
- O'Donnell says she repeatedly tried to help, describing missed meetings and calls with Trachtenberg and conversations she had with Trachtenberg’s mother about her decline.
- Reaction online was mixed, with many criticizing O'Donnell for sharing sensitive, unconfirmed personal details and others saying open discussion of addiction can reduce stigma, highlighting a wider tension between privacy and public conversation about a public figure’s health.