Rosie O’Donnell Needs She ‘May Have Been There for’ Michelle Trachtenberg ‘Extra’

Rosie O’Donnell had not too long ago reconnected with the late Michelle Trachtenberg within the years earlier than her loss of life.

O’Donnell and Trachtenberg starred in Harriet the Spy collectively in 1996, and O’Donnell mentioned that the actress, who died at 39 in February, was “simply epic” throughout their time on the film.

“That little woman was one thing else,” O’Donnell, 63, advised Leisure Tonight of Trachtenberg, who was simply 10 years previous once they made the film. “That was a e book that meant loads to me once I was a bit woman and I simply liked her.”

“We reconnected about three years in the past and we’d discuss on the telephone and you recognize, she was struggling in plenty of methods,” she continued. “And I simply want that I may’ve been there for her greater than I used to be in a position to [be].”

The comic expressed her love for Trachtenberg’s sister and mom, who she mentioned she’s “associates with” and has “spoken” to because the actress’ loss of life, as she added of Michelle, “I miss her and I like her and it is a tragic, tragic loss and it pained me enormously.”

Following the information of the Gossip Woman actress’ loss of life two months in the past, O’Donnell spoke out in a press release concerning the “heartbreaking” information, as she mentioned, “I liked her very a lot. She struggled the previous few years. I want I may have helped.”

Trachtenberg’s official reason for loss of life was confirmed final week, because the New York Metropolis Workplace of Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to PEOPLE it was pure and the results of issues of diabetes mellitus.

She was discovered “unconscious and unresponsive” in her New York Metropolis house on Feb. 26 by law enforcement officials and pronounced lifeless on the scene, the NYPD advised PEOPLE on the time. No criminality was ever suspected.

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In 2021, Trachtenberg marked the twenty fifth anniversary of Harriet the Spy and she or he mentioned in an interview with ET that O’Donnell was her “greatest supporter” on the movie’s set.

There was loads required of me. I am extraordinarily grateful for the expertise,” she mentioned, including that her costar “protected me a lot.”