You Won't Recognize Cindy Lou Who From How The Grinch Stole Christmas Today

Plenty of child stars stole our hearts in beloved roles early on before majorly transforming in adulthood, and the actor behind Cindy Lou Who of the live-action "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" serves as a prime example. In the 2000 film, which starred Jim Carrey as the titular Grinch, Taylor Momsen played the young Whoville resident who advocates for the true meaning of the holiday. While her heartwrenching rendition of "Where Are You Christmas?" foreshadowed Momsen's future music career, the Missouri native has become nearly unrecognizable since then.

While she went on to appear in projects like "Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams" and "Underdog," the Hollywood figure landed a major role on "Gossip Girl" in 2007. She appeared as Jenny, the fashion-obsessed Brooklynite and younger sister of Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley), who underwent a rebellious arc and edgy makeover. While stars like Leighton Meester had a major post-"Gossip Girl" transformation, Jenny's aesthetic changes paralleled Momsen's real-life evolution. "I think it kept the character organic, because as I was growing and changing they wanted the character to, kind of, reflect that, too," she said on Podcrushed.

Though the alternative fashion and bleached hair marked a stark difference from her sweet childhood role, the style elements have been a mainstay of Momsen's brand since she transitioned from acting into music. The star has been the lead singer of The Pretty Reckless since 2009, with the American rock band releasing more than five albums over the years. Despite being majorly unrecognizable as the actor behind Cindy Lou Who, Momsen hasn't left her Christmas origins completely in the past.

Taylor Momsen has undergone a major transformation since starring as Cindy Lou Who in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," ranking among the celebs we're begging to write a memoir, but the Hollywood figure found a special way to honor her holiday roots in 2025. Alongside her band, she released "Taylor Momsen's Pretty Reckless Christmas" in October, dueting her child-self on "Where Are You Christmas?" and crafting four original holiday songs. "It's something that's very special to me and very heartwarming," the former actor told ABC's On The Red Carpet. "I aim to just, kind of, spread joy with the record, and I hope that it brings some smiles to people's faces this year."

The festive music release coincides with an unexpected reunion between Momsen and former co-star Jim Carrey, with the two connecting at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on November 8. While they hadn't seen each other in over twenty-five years, the run-in brought back nothing but positive memories for Momsen. "The entire experience of filming 'Grinch' and getting to know him so well, even in all the makeup, was just wonderful," she told People. "As a young person watching an artist at work and taking their craft so seriously, that left a really powerful, lasting impact on me as an adult now." Momsen has definitely grown and changed since her days as a child actor, but it's clear that she still carries a lot of love for her breakout role.