About Me
Michelle Christine Trachtenberg was born on October 11, 1985 to her mother, Lana (a former actress turned puppeteer); father, Michael (an fiberoptics engineer) and a sister to Irene, now 24. A native New Yorker (born in Brooklyn), Michelle began her entertainment career before she could even walk completing newspaper advertisements until scoring her first big job at the tender age of three. She landed a print modelling job, appearing in advertisement posters for the popular toy store Kids 'R' Us, before then going on to commercials (after seeing a friend on a commercial Michelle told her mom she wanted to be on television). Her first commercial was for Wisk Detergent where she played a daughter who threw cranberry juice on her father.Michelle's first line on television was for in the national commercial saying, 'Wisk, wisk, wisk or tsk, tsk, tsk!' After completing her 'first job' Michelle went on and auditioned for more commercials landing each one that she tried out for. Some of these other commercials included Panasonic, Fuji, Kraft, Kleenex and Hoover just to name a few.It wasn't until the age of five that Michelle went on to appear in television, her first role was uncredited, playing dying child Dinah Driscoll in the episode 'God Bless the Child' on Law and Order. Next up was an episode of 'Clarissa Explains It All' in which Michelle appeared alongside another child actor, Melissa Joan Hart. Michelle portrayed Elsie Soaperstein the sitting charge of Hart's character Clarissa. Branching out, Michelle landed two television series, All of Children (the popular TV soap) and The Adventures of Pete and Pete (the popular children's program) and she appeared on both from the age of 9 until age 11 (1994-1996). On All My Children, Michelle played autistic child; Lily Benton Montgomery. Michelle has said that the role was challenging sometimes for her to play as she couldn't talk much. Alongside Michelle in the show was future Buffy co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar who Michelle says she looked to as a sister figure while they were filming on the show. At the same time as All My Children Michelle starred in the show, Pete and Pete. Michelle played character Nona Mecklenberg and was on the show until the finish in 1996.Continuing to appear on national television Michelle scored guest appearances in the series', Dave's World and Space Cases. Michelle got her first big movie break in scoring the role of Harriet M. Walsh in the smash hit 1996 movie Harriet the Spy which was based on a book of the same name. Michelle beat out 350 other girls to score the major role and has been said to have been the 'right girl' for the role. Michelle's first day on set of Harriet was her tenth birthday when they started principle photography. Michelle met co-star Rosie O'Donnell who played Golly, Harriet's nanny and the pair hit it off seeing movies and Broadway plays together after filming had completed on set. After this major role Michelle acted alongside television great Melissa Gilbert in the Christmas movie, Christmas in My Hometown as youngster Noelle Murphy. While continuing to work Michelle attended a Brooklyn public school where she took part in a class for gifted children until she moved to California with her mother while her father and sister remained in New York.Michelle then booked the role in the short-lived Meego in which she played daughter Maggie Parker. After Meego, Michelle was a guest panelist on the Nickelodeon game show, Figure It Out and appeared briefly in an episode of Blue's Clues. Still loving television and acting Michelle appeared on the children's show, Guys Like Us before taking up the big screen again as Gloria in Richie Rich's Christmas Wish. Proving popular with audiences, Michelle then went on to star in another hit children's movie, Inspector Gadget next to Matthew Broderick. After completing her role as Penny, Michelle landed a lead role as Julie in 1999's small time feel-good movie, Forever Together. Taking one last role in movies for the moment Michelle starred in the dramatic made-for-television movie, A Father's Choice.After much work on both the big screens and small screens Michelle returned to television by landing a key role in the cult television hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A huge fan of the show Michelle watched each week religiously, remembering all her favourite lines and scenes. At her school Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks, California, Michelle met old friend and past co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar who was visiting fellow actor Marc Blucas. After catching up, Michelle, a big fan of Buffy told Sarah that she had to see her school locker which was full of Buffy merchandise. After realising what a huge fan of Buffy Michelle was, Sarah invited Michelle to the set and introduced her to Buffy creator Joss Whedon.At the same time as meeting Michelle, Joss was looking for a female teenager to play a crucial role in Buffy's fifth season. Michelle had at the time asked her agent to land her any role on her favourite show not worrying if it was just a small bit part. Arranging an audition for the role as Dawn, Michelle went and read for the part and won the dream role of her lifetime.Still a regular on Buffy, Michelle did other work on popular sketch show, Mad TV before getting the job as host and narrator on the new Discovery Kids program Truth or Scare. While being able to work on Truth or Scare and her cast part on Buffy, Michelle attended high school and was tutored on set. Graduating this year (2003) Michelle did all the normal senior events including attending prom and then received honours in Social Studies and Religion. She was also named under California Scholarship Federation although I am not sure what that is. Michelle has said that she wishes to go to college (possibly Yale or other Ivy League schools) and her main goal is to produce and direct (later in the year Michelle will be co-producing an independent movie).After completing Buffy (after three seasons on the show) Michelle has just currently wrapped two new movies, Ugly Americans and Mysterious Skin, excited about her new work Michelle wishes to attend college and work on movies during the summer. Not only a successful actress, Michelle is an active spokesperson for R.A.D.D., DARE America, The Starlight Foundation and many others. Her contributions to the fight against drugs earned her the prestigious responsibility of representing the youth of America at CNN's headquarters in Atlanta, where she helped President Clinton launch The Coalition for a Drug Free America campaign. Named as on of Teen People's 20 Teens Who Will Change the World, Michelle says she would continue to work for all of her causes against drugs and alcohol as well as working for various charities. Being and speaking beyond her years Michelle is a true inspiration and let us all hope that she continues to work in movies and television as well as achieving her own goals and wishes.
