Rosie O'Donnell opens up about Michelle Trachtenberg's death

Rosie O'Donnell reflected on Michelle Trachtenberg's final years, saying her former Harriet the Spy co-star was "in pretty bad shape" before her death at 39.

Speaking to Variety in an interview published on July 16, O'Donnell looked back on her relationship with Trachtenberg more than a year after the actress died from complications of diabetes mellitus.

"It was a tragedy," O'Donnell said. "She was a real genius child who was able to memorize anything, pick up her lines, you could improvise with her, and she was connected and right there."

O'Donnell said she believes Trachtenberg "got into drugs and alcohol," adding that the two eventually lost touch.

Rosie O'Donnell recalls reconnecting with Michelle Trachtenberg

The comedian said Trachtenberg later reached out to her during the final years of her life.

"In the last few years, when she was in pretty bad shape, she would call me and we would talk," O'Donnell said.

She added that she also contacted Trachtenberg's mother to find out what was happening.

"I also called her mother to find out what was going on, and her mother told me what was happening, and how long it had been happening," O'Donnell said.

According to the actress, she and Trachtenberg made plans to meet several times over the years, but the actress never arrived.

"Sometimes at restaurants, other times at my house where we'd had someone prepare the whole meal," O'Donnell recalled. "I would call her and go, 'Honey, are you heading over?' and she'd go, 'Was that today?' She was not in good shape. I didn't think that she would die."

O'Donnell says she wishes she could have done more

Looking back, O'Donnell said she wishes she "could have done more" for Trachtenberg, who had received a liver transplant before her death.

"I tried to help her as much as I could," she said, "but she was inaccessible toward the end, and it was tragic."

O'Donnell compared Trachtenberg's situation to that of Whitney Houston, whose struggle with addiction contributed to her death following an accidental drowning in 2012.

The comedian also said addiction is a personal issue for her family, noting that her daughter Chelsea, who is currently in prison, struggled with drugs for years and is now sober.

"With most people suffering from addiction, their loved ones think that they'll survive it, but you can die from your addiction to drugs or alcohol," O'Donnell said. "It happens too often that it must be taken seriously."