Actor Sarah Michelle Gellar paid tribute to her “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” costar Michelle Trachtenberg on Thursday, a day after police foung the 39-year-old dead in her New York City home.
Gellar posted a series of old photos on Instagram, showing the pair on the set and behind the scenes of the hit series.
“Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you,” Gellar wrote. “The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you.”
Trachtenberg played Dawn Summers in “Buffy,” the younger sister of the title character played by Gellar, appearing in 66 episodes of the hit series between 2000 and 2003.
Gellar’s post appeared to be a referring to a quote from the show: “Dawn, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles … tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I’m okay. And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world … is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me.”
The caption also contained broken heart emojis, followed by a key emoji — likely a reference to Trachtenberg’s character being known as “the key” who can unlock multiple worlds.
Gellar is reportedly in talks to appear in a reboot of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” It is unclear if Trachtenberg would have returned to the series.
The beloved millennial actor, also known for her work on the hit teen drama “Gossip Girl,” was found unresponsive in her home on Wednesday morning, according to police.
She was pronounced dead at the scene and there is no foul play suspected, police said. The New York Medical Examiner’s Office is investigating the cause of her death, police added.
Trachtenberg’s death sparked an outpouring of grief from Hollywood.
Blake Lively, who starred with Trachtenberg in “Gossip Girl” from 2007 to 2012, posted a tribute to the late actor on her Instagram story on Wednesday.
“She was electricity. You knew when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%,” Lively wrote. “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.”
