Michelle Trachtenberg has acted nearly as long as she's been alive. Born October 11th, 1985 in New York, she was only 3 when she appeared in her first commercial for Whisk detergent. Now residing in L.A., Michelle remains very down to earth. Her work has been fairly steady in recent years. Her immediate family includes her parents, one older sister, Irene and one cat, Casey. She often refers to her family supporting her efforts and attending her events. When she is not acting or in school, you can most likely find her writing, reading, or creating beaded jewelry. Collections include Buffy the Vampire Slayer items and fairies. She was a fan of BtVS long before winning the role of Dawn, Buffy's younger sister. Michelle has always put an emphasis on education. When filming, she is tutored on the set; otherwise, she attends normal schools. She is also active in various charities including but not limited to DARE, RADD, Youth of America, the Starlight Children's Foundation. One can only hope other young people, actors or not, will follow her example.