Michelle Trachtenberg’s death shook fans and her inner circle, including the actress’ boyfriend, Jay Cohen. From leading Harriet the Spy to starring in Disney’s Ice Princess and beyond, Michelle is fondly remembered by fans and colleagues.
Former co-stars mourned Michelle’s death, including Blake Lively, who worked with Michelle on Gossip Girl. Blake paid tribute to the late actress via her Instagram Stories in February 2025, writing, “She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%. 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.”
Following Michelle’s passing, learn more about her dating history and her boyfriend, Jay, below.
What Happened to Michelle Trachtenberg?
Michelle previously underwent a liver transplant, but her cause of death was ruled to be from complications of diabetes.
Who Was Michelle Trachtenberg’s Boyfriend?
Michelle was in a relationship with Jay Cohen, who is a talent agent, according to The New York Post. Per his International Film Finance Forum bio page, he is part of the Gersh Agency. On Valentine’s Day 2025, she dedicated an Instagram post to him, writing, “Happy Valentine’s Day to the man who sits still long enough for me to paint his face.”
Five months after Michelle’s untimely death, Jay responded to an Instagram commenter, who asked him if he could “talk” about his late girlfriend, according to Us Weekly.
“One day soon! Im very sorry,” Jay replied with a broken heart emoji. After a separate commenter pointed out it was “not cool” to ask Jay about Michelle, he wrote back, “Thank you, it’s OK comes from the right place. Michelle was loved by so many.”
Michelle Trachtenberg’s Ex-Boyfriends
Before Jay, Michelle dated Shawn Ashmore, who honored his late ex-girlfriend with a heartfelt Instagram post. “Incredibly sad to hear about Michelle’s passing,” Shawn wrote. “She was an incredible person, and I will always remember the years we spent together fondly. She was loving, quirky and would never pass up a Law and Order SVU marathon:) My condolences to her mother Lana and sister Irene! This is an incredible loss!”
According to StyleCaster, Michelle also dated Josh Groban, Jason Segel, Scott Sanford, Joshua Radin, Jason Lewis, and Pete Wentz.
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