Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan discuss honoring Michelle Trachtenberg’s memory in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot. Trachtenberg played Buffy's sister, Dawn, in the original show, appearing in seasons 5-7. Sadly, Trachtenberg ed away at the age of 39 in February 2025, resulting in an outpouring of tributes from her Buffy co-stars. With the reboot in the works, many have wondered if the show will somehow reference Trachtenberg or her character.

While appearing together for an awareness campaign about meningitis, Gellar and Hannigan commented on a Dawn tribute in the Buffy reboot in a Parade exclusive:

SMG: "Yeah, we'll do something. We'll do what's appropriate."

AH: "I'm sure they'll handle it with utter grace."

What Gellar and Hannigan's Comments Mean For The Buffy Reboot

Trachtenberg Is Likely To Get A Respectful And Poignant Tribute

This promising news is bittersweet. Trachtenberg could have potentially reprised her role as Dawn in the reboot, and it's hard to accept why that isn't possible now. Despite the void left by this loss, the original Buffy stars’ comments suggest Dawn will be present in the new show in a subtle way to pay homage to her huge contribution to the series.

The original series costars showed respect and tact in their comments about their late and great colleague, assuring viewers her memory would be honored in the revival. While details are sparse, their comments imply that something tasteful and moving will be done to Trachtenberg’s incredible presence on the show.

Our Take On Gellar And Hannigan's Comments About The Buffy Reboot

Dawn's Reappearance Could Take A Number Of Forms

The original Buffy co-stars' comments leave the tribute open to multiple possibilities for execution. Firstly, it is unclear whether Dawn will be recast - Dawn is very much still involved in the storyline in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics, which start with the canonical season 8. However, the casting of Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new Buffy chosen one implies the reboot will not be a traditional continuation.

It is hard to imagine any other actress playing Dawn, so it is possible they will feature her in the form of flashback scenes...

It is hard to imagine any other actress playing Dawn, so it is possible they will feature her in the form of flashback scenes or include an “in memory of” before the credits. Her memory must be honored properly - Dawn made Buffy better, and she is special to the cast and Buffy fans.

Arguably, the most likely outcome will be that the creative team will think of a respectful reason to write Dawn out of the Buffy reboot without the rather grim optics of killing her character. Regardless, it is touching to hear this update from Gellar and Hannigan that honoring her memory is important to them.

Source: Parade