Biography

Michelle in a nutshell

Born on October 11, 1985 in New York City, Michelle Christine Trachtenberg grew up in New York (although she now lives in Los Angeles). She has a sister named Irene.

She attended Isaac Assimov Public School followed by Bay Academy Junior High School and Notre Dame High School, graduating with awards in social studies and religion.

She also studied ballet as a child and began her acting career on the soap opera All My Children alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar. Her big break came when she was 10 starring in Harriet the Spy alongside Rosie O'Donnell.

Her next major film was co-starring in Inspector Gadget with Matthew Broderick. A few other movies filled the gap until in 2001 she was cast as Dawn, Buffy's younger sister in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, once again performing alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Her TV career also extended to narrating Truth or Scare in 2001 and playing Celeste in Six Feet Under in 2004. But her focus has been in movies co-starring in Eurotrip in 2004 and starring in Ice Princess in 2005.