More than two decades after stealing hearts as Cindy Lou Who, actress and musician Taylor Momsen has shared a nostalgic moment with fans by trying on her original costume from the beloved festive film.
A Festive Flashback on Instagram
In a new video posted to Instagram, the 32-year-old Taylor Momsen managed to squeeze into the same festive dress her character wore in the 2000 live-action classic, 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas'. The Gossip Girl alum captioned the post, "Yes…that is my real Cindy costume from the Grinch movie 25 years later…it still (kind of) fits. What a surreal holiday season."
The clip shows Momsen, with assistance, manoeuvring the dress's sleeves. As she pulls the garment on, it appears significantly shorter than it was on her seven-year-old self, barely reaching the top of her thighs. She then adjusts it to wear strapless before moving to a photoshoot, where a remix of "Where Are You Christmas?"—a song from the film and her band's latest single—plays in the background.
Life-Changing Role and Lasting Memories
Momsen was just seven years old when she landed the iconic role opposite Jim Carrey in the Ron Howard-directed movie. Reflecting on the experience in a recent interview with Vulture, she praised her co-star. "I always felt really safe with Jim. I liked being around him," she said. "At such a young age, to watch an artist who is that serious at what they’re doing even while playing this very over-the-top character, it was clear to me how much he was putting into it."
However, the role also came with challenges. On the Podcrushed podcast in 2023, Momsen revealed she was "made fun of relentlessly" after the film's release. "The Grinch changed my life in a multitude of ways," she stated, explaining that her family moved constantly for her career afterwards. "So any time I would start school or go somewhere else, I don’t even think the kids knew my name. I was just Grinch girl... I got used to it, but it was alienating."
From Whoville to Punk Rock
Following her early fame, Momsen secured her most notable acting role as Jenny Humphrey in the hit series Gossip Girl. She left the show in 2011 ahead of its fifth season to focus fully on her music career.
Today, she is the lead singer of the punk rock band The Pretty Reckless. The band has recently released a holiday album, 'Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas', bringing her journey from the Whos in Whoville full circle. The Instagram try-on serves as a poignant reminder of the role that launched her career and the enduring legacy of a holiday favourite.
