Mara Wilson is deeply grieving the passing away of her childhood friend, Michelle Trachtenberg, who sadly left us last month at the age of 39.
1996 saw the release of both “Matilda” directed by Wilson and “Harriet the Spy” directed by Trachtenberg, which significantly elevated their child stars’ fame. Remarkably, the actresses were classmates at a middle school in Burbank, and Wilson recently shared in a personal essay published by Vulture on Tuesday, that their peers didn’t treat Trachtenberg kindly.
The films “Matilda” (Wilson) and “Harriet the Spy” (Trachtenberg), which came out in 1996, significantly increased the fame of both child stars. Interestingly, the actresses were schoolmates at a middle school in Burbank, and in a personal essay published by Vulture on Tuesday, Wilson recounted how their classmates did not treat Trachtenberg well.
Wilson remembers thinking that Michelle Trachtenberg would be well-liked at school. However, this wasn’t the case. Whenever anyone mentioned Michelle Trachtenberg, a student would always interject saying they had heard she was rude, arrogant, and mean. Wilson would always respond by insisting that she was actually very kind.
Or:
Wilson looks back and recalls his belief that Michelle Trachtenberg would be popular at school. Contrary to this expectation, she wasn’t. Whenever her name was brought up, someone would chime in saying they had heard she was haughty, self-absorbed, and downright rude. Wilson always defended her by stating that she was really nice.
Just before Trachtenberg completed middle school in 1999, Wilson recalls the actress from Buffy the Vampire Slayer coming to her with tears in her eyes, questioning, “Are the children here bullying you? Since they are doing it to me. They label me Harriet the Prostitute, Harriet the Bitch, Harriet the Spy with a Bad Attitude … and much more awful things.
For the first time, Wilson witnessed Trachtenberg showing emotions other than her usual poised and self-assured demeanor. It dawned on me then why people labeled her as ‘harsh’. They were likely unkind to her first, and when she reacted defensively, they called her difficult. She explained, “It wasn’t just that she was being bullied; it was that there was no way for her not to be disliked by them. A significant part of being a child actor is ensuring everyone is content.
Right from their first encounter, Wilson found Trachtenberg to be exceptionally smart and composed. Despite drifting apart after middle school and Trachtenberg’s subsequent rise in the film and television industry, Wilson remained a steadfast supporter of hers.
Wilson shared that a college friend commented about Michelle Trachtenberg’s character on “Gossip Girl” being extremely mean, implying she must be rude in real life too. However, Wilson defended her by stating, “She isn’t! I personally knew her, and she was very kind.
The individual defended Trachtenberg’s portrayals against the assumption made about her: “But she does it so convincingly as an unlikable character!” Wilson countered, “that’s because she’s a skilled actress.
Wilson recalls Trachtenberg as being different from most of her peers. Instead of being unkind like others, she showed kindness, especially towards young Jonathan Lipnicki who was often bullied. For instance, when Jonathan was being picked on during his ‘Jerry Maguire’ days, Trachtenberg displayed kindness to him. Wilson added, “Despite the five-year age gap, Trachtenberg didn’t treat Jonathan like an inconvenience. Many older girls were rude to younger children, but not her. Even when Jonathan was attempting to sneak an ice cube down the back of Trachtenberg’s shirt, she remained kind.
Trachtenberg sadly passed away on February 26th, and her mother discovered her in their New York City apartment unexpectedly. Her former co-stars expressed their sorrow on social media platforms; among them were Blake Lively, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick, Kim Cattrall, Kenan Thompson, David Boreanaz, Melissa Joan Hart, and many others.
Read More
- Cookie Run Kingdom Town Square Vault password
- Cookie Run Kingdom: Shadow Milk Cookie Toppings and Beascuits guide
- Wizardry Variants Daphne tier list and a reroll guide
- Why Justin Baldoni’s Attorney Can’t Lose
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Maiden Academy tier list
- Raveena Tandon’s daughter Rasha Thadani praises mom for ‘shielding’ her, says kids nowadays grow up under scrutiny: ‘If I was exposed…’
- Reacher Spin-off Series on Frances Neagley Starts Production: What to Expect?
- Gene Hackman’s Wife Betsy Died At Least One Week Before Him; He Survived in Home Alone With Advanced Alzheimer’s Until His Death
- Karen Read Trial Docuseries Set at Investigation Discovery
2025-03-19 21:55