Michelle Trachtenberg’s boyfriend, Jay Cohen, is speaking out following her tragic death in February.
The actress died at age 39 due to complications of diabetes mellitus.
Now, five months later, Cohen has made his first public remarks about Trachtenberg.
The talent agent shared a health milestone on his Instagram on Wednesday, per US Weekly, and in the comment section, one follower asked if he could “talk” about the “Gossip Girl” actress.
Cohen responded, “One day soon! Im very sorry 💔.”
A second fan chimed in, stating it is “not cool” to ask Cohen about Trachtenberg.
“Thank you, it’s OK comes from the right place,” he replied. “Michelle was loved by so many.”
Cohen’s original post, per the outlet, marked 26 years since he received a kidney transplant.
He recognized the “selfless” donor in honor of the milestone.
“We as human beings need to find a way to love and help all people in need,” Cohen wrote. “The divide must stop. Innocent lives should not be part of status quo war casualties, or politics, all people deserve the right to live In Peace.”
Cohen thanked the staff at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, calling the doctors “true super heroes, people who live their lives with purpose, intention, selflessness and with empathy!!”
“As always, I’m still in the gym keeping my mind and body in shape, healthy and calm. Yes I’ve added some very personal tattoos, when I look in the mirror as I wake and get ready for bed I remind myself of who I am, who I need to be and why I am,” he continued. “An extremely important rule in my life, never do anything that I will not want to see when I look in the mirror and ask myself was I true today.”
“I am so grateful to all of you who are in my life sharing our common joys, helping me with tragedies and healing from pain and grief. I’m sure many of you know what I mean when I write that.”
Cohen concluded his post with one final message to his followers. He told them to remember that “life and aging are humbling” and to “live life with empathy.”
The actress had been linked to the Gersh Agency partner since 2020, with sources at the time revealing they had been dating for “over a year.” Trachtenberg signed with the talent agency in 2014.
Before to her death, she took to social media to wish her other half a Happy Valentine’s Day.
“Happy Valentine’s Day to the man who sits still long enough for me to paint his face. 🖤💚🩶 💋,” Trachtenberg captioned an Instagram picture of the pair dressed up for Halloween.
Shortly after the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” alum’s death, Cohen’s producing partner, Casey Tebo, said he was determined to bring her final script to life.
“Michelle Trachtenberg wrote one of the best screenplays I’ve ever read, based on the book TOY MONSTER – it’s as good as Wolf of Wall Street. I’m doing everything I can to get this movie made, we just need to find the right director, and I promise we will get it made for her,” he wrote on X.
The script is an adaptation of Jerry Oppenheimer’s 2009 biography “Toy Monster.” It follows the scandalous life of Jack Ryan, who was Mattel’s chief engineer. He had a hand in creating Barbie and Hot Wheels.
“This script jumps off the page; a dizzying tale of jealousy soaked in whiskey and clad in ’50s fashion,” Tebo told The Post exclusively in March.
He added, “I guarantee you, it gets made and people are gonna say, ‘Holy s–t. She really did write the best script!’”
Tebo said that he and Cohen wanted to make the movie to honor Trachtenberg, even “if it’s the last movie Jay and I ever make.”
“I would say that he will do whatever he needs to do to honor her and show the industry — that he has done so much for so many in — what she was truly capable of,” Tebo said of Cohen.
His hope for the movie would be to give fans a new perspective on Trachtenberg.
“When it gets made, my hope is that our industry will maybe take a second look at the thought that maybe what you know someone for isn’t all they’re good at,” he shared.
Tebo revealed that the project was greenlit in 2017, but the alleged deal fell apart when the executive who backed the film left the studio.
“Maybe Michelle is looking out for us,” he reflected on this time around.
Trachtenberg was found by her mother on February 26 in her Central Park South apartment. The late star had also recently undergone a liver transplant, according to insiders.
“It is with great sadness we confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss,” Trachtenberg’s representative, Gary Mantoosh, said in a statement at the time.
Trachtenberg had an extensive body of work, dating back to when she was a child. She landed her first credited role at 9 on the 1990s Nickelodeon series “The Adventures of Pete and Pete.”
Then, in 1996, Trachtenberg made her film debut in “Harriet the Spy,” in which she played the lead character Harriet.
Despite starring in a slew of hit shows as an adult, Trachtenberg did have a favorite role.
“It is actually my most favorite character,” she told Access Hollywood about portraying Dawn Summers — Buffy Summers’ little sister — in 2022. “What I respect is the fans. I have heard about a reboot but I hope that it honors what the fans love.”
