Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in Gossip Girl and Buffy The Vampire Slayer was shopping for a director to execute her original screenplay before she passed away, says her producing partner, Casey Tebo.
She passed away on 26 February
The actress passed away on Wednesday 26 February at the age of 39 as her mother found her unresponsive at her apartment complex in Manhattan’s Central Park South neighborhood.
Although the actress died of natural causes, her cause of death has been ruled ‘undetermined’ since her family refused the undergoing of an autopsy.
Her producing partner revealed her projects
Trachtenberg had written a screenplay titled ‘Toy Monster’, based on a book of the same name by the author Jerry Oppenheimer.
Her producing partner, Casey Tebo, said that before she passed away, she had been looking for a director to execute her vision for the screenplay.
Tebo described the story of Toy Monster
On the day of her death he also informed the world of her artistic pursuits, posting on X/Twitter, “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.”
Casey Tebo shared his impression of the story, calling it “a dizzying tale of jealousy soaked in whiskey and clad in ’50s fashion.”
The story follows Jack Ryan, a known playboy who quit his job at the Pentagon where he designed missiles, for a job at Mattel. He becomes chief engineer at the toy company and builds a reputation for pursuing ‘sundry sexual pursuits’.
Tebo shared his last conversation with Trachtenberg
In speaking with The New York Post, Tebo said, “My last conversation with [Michelle] was sending her director names to consider [for the movie].”
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Tebo explained that he was in talks with Trachtenberg’s boyfriend, Hollywood talent agent Jay Cohen, to produce Toy Monster.
He said, “When you’re making a film, you kind of put lists together, and people would like to go to – directors and actors.”
Trachtenberg wrote Toy Monster around 10 years ago
Tebo shared that the actress wrote the Toy Monster screenplay around 2015, with “two of the biggest studios”, “one huge studio”, and “one huge streamer” showing interest in the movie two years later.
“It was being championed by a studio head, and they had two A-list directors they were going to,” Tebo shared.
She was going to be in the movie
“Michelle was going to play one of the minor roles, and she was adamant about [attaching] A-list directing and acting talent,” Tebo added.
Things started slowing down for a couple of reasons: that the executive handling the project at the studio left, and that many in Hollywood didn’t take Trachtenberg seriously, according to Tebo.
Tebo and Cohen were pushing for the project
Tebo shared that in the months before the actress’s death, he and Cohen were pushing to get the ball rolling once more, saying, “Jay and I had just started to ramp up.”
The screenplay received more attention after Trachtenberg’s death, with Tebo saying, “Sadly, her passing has increased interest in the project for obvious reasons.”
He also reflected on her character
Tebo recalled his friend and producing partner’s character, saying, “Michelle was an endearing ballbreaker. So smart and funny. She also liked to make fun of me when I FaceTimed with Jay.”
He said that he and Cohen are set on bringing Trachtenberg’s screenplay to life “if it’s the last movie Jay and I ever make.”
