Michelle Trachtenberg, who tragically passed away at 39, endured significant bullying during her childhood, as recounted by Mara Wilson in a recent essay. Both actress and her friend attended the same middle school, where Trachtenberg often faced derogatory comments and labels due to her early fame from the movie 'Harriet the Spy.' Wilson, witnessing Trachtenberg's pain and vulnerability, defended her against the misconceptions that labeled her as 'mean.' She painted a picture of Trachtenberg as intelligent, self-possessed, and kind, contrasting sharply with how others interpreted her behavior.
Trachtenberg told Wilson through tears, 'Because they are to me... They call me Harriet the Slut, Harriet the B--, Harriet the B--y Spy... and so much worse. They never stop.'
I had never seen Michelle cry before. I'd never seen her anything other than perfectly composed and confident. That's why they said she was 'mean.' Because they were mean to her first.
Every time I even heard someone say 'Michelle Trachtenberg,' a kid would jump in to say that they'd heard she was mean, full of herself, a total b-h.
Not only was she nice, I realized, but she was remarkably intelligent. Yet she managed not to be condescending and didn't try to impress with big words.
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