Taylor Momsen has shared her experiences related to her role in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” where the Grinch was subjected to teasing in school, drawing parallels to her own childhood. Speaking on SiriusXM’s Podcrushed podcast alongside hosts Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, and Sophie Ansari, the former Gossip Girl actress, who portrayed Cindy Lou Who in the film featuring Jim Carrey, disclosed, “The Grinch changed my life in many ways, including the fact that I was relentlessly teased.”
She continued, “Whenever I started a new school or moved to a different place, I don’t think the kids even knew my name. I was simply referred to as Grinch Girl, not even by the character name, Cindy Lou Who, just Grinch Girl.”
Momsen admitted that although she eventually became accustomed to the teasing, it was still an isolating experience. She began her career in the Dr. Seuss movie at the age of 7, leading to frequent school changes, which exacerbated her classmates’ teasing. However, in middle school, her life became more settled, and she was able to form a group of friends.
“That was the first year when I was in school and had the opportunity to try and make real friends,” she recalled. “I formed a band. It was my first band, a garage band from middle school. We never settled on a name, but we would jam after school, and that was always enjoyable. I was singing, playing guitar, and writing songs.”
Several years later, Momsen landed the role of Jenny Humphrey on “Gossip Girl” in 2007, where she played the younger sister of Penn Badgley’s character, leading to another major change in her life.
“As soon as I started to find my place in school as a regular kid, ‘Gossip Girl’ came along, and I was uprooted to New York, causing the band to fall apart,” she explained. “We had the potential to become big. It was quite disappointing. I had to start all over again in New York, but it didn’t take me long.”
Reflecting on her time in Whoville, Momsen had previously shared her thoughts on filming the beloved holiday movie during a 2020 interview with the Today show, celebrating the film’s 20th anniversary. She emphasized the enduring appeal of “The Grinch” due to its heartwarming story and meaningful message, alongside praising Jim Carrey’s performance and the film’s visual and editing quality.
