Taylor Momsen Turns Heads 26 Years After ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’—Fans Can’t Believe Her Look
Taylor Momsen is no longer the child star fans first knew. The actress, who became famous as Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas at just five years old, has embraced a life far from Hollywood cameras. Today, she is fully devoted to music, fronting her band The Pretty Reckless, and acting is no longer a major part of her plans.
Momsen addressed her career shift during Steven Tyler’s seventh annual Jam for Janie Grammy viewing party on February 1. When asked by PEOPLE if she might return to acting, she was clear: “I’ve learned not to say ‘never,’ but I’m not interested in going back.” She even joked about old roles, saying she’s content where she is and would rather be “touring with AC/DC.”
For Momsen, music is personal. She explained, “I don’t like being someone’s pawn. I like being in charge. I like writing the script. I like writing songs. That’s everything.” Acting, she says, was something she started as a child, while music is her choice and allows her full creative control.
Despite stepping away from acting, her early career left a lasting impression. After playing Cindy Lou Who in 2000, Momsen appeared in films like Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams and Underdog, and gained wider recognition as Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl from 2007 to 2010, returning briefly for the finale in 2012. She described her child acting years as “alienating” and recalled facing bullying after her breakout role in The Grinch.
Momsen also had a successful modeling career. She began at age two with Ford Models and later signed with IMG Models. She became the face of brands like New Look and John Galliano’s fragrance campaigns, and appeared on magazine covers including Page Six, Seventeen, FHM, and Maxim. “No two-year-old wants to be working, but I had no choice. My whole life, I was in and out of school. I didn’t have friends. I was working constantly and I didn’t have a real life,” she reflected on her early modeling days.
Music has been Momsen’s true passion since childhood. She recorded “Where Are You Christmas?” for How the Grinch Stole Christmas at age seven and later formed The Pretty Reckless in 2009. Their debut album Light Me Up launched in 2010, featuring singles like “Make Me Wanna Die.” Over the years, the band has achieved major success, with albums like Going to Hell and Death by Rock and Roll, and they made history as the first female-fronted band to reach number one on rock radio charts multiple times.
Momsen has also written songs for other artists and collaborated with bands like Evanescence. In 2025, she released a holiday EP, revisiting “Where Are You Christmas?” to mark 25 years since her original recording. She has performed at high-profile events, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony with surviving members of Soundgarden.
Her personal life has included struggles with depression and coping with the loss of friends and mentors. She has described music as her outlet, helping her process grief and channel it into her work.
Taylor Momsen has clearly chosen a life of artistic freedom and control. Acting is a chapter she has closed, and music defines her present. She continues to tour, record, and influence the rock scene while maintaining her unique identity beyond Hollywood.
It’s inspiring to see someone take full control of their life and career like Momsen has. She proves that success isn’t only about fame, it’s about finding what makes you happy and sticking with it. What do you think about her decision to leave acting and focus on music? Share your thoughts in the comments.
