Michelle Trachtenberg, the actress who rose to fame as a precocious child star in “Harriet the Spy” and went on to have memorable roles on TV shows including “Gossip Girl,” has died, according to the New York City police.

Michelle Trachtenberg made it look easy. A preternaturally gifted child performer, Trachtenberg starred in the 1996 film adaptation of Fitzhugh’s book. And her Harriet, like so many other characters she would go on to play,

News of Michelle Trachtenberg's death prompted tributes from her friends and former "Buffy," "Harriet the Spy," and "Gossip Girl" costars.