Cindy Lou Who From How The Grinch Stole Christmas Is Unrecognizable Now

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" has long been a Christmas classic. In 2000, the beloved Dr. Seuss story was made into a live-action film starring Jim Carrey. But it was Carrey's little co-star that stole the hearts of millions with her sweet smile. Cindy Lou Who was played by Taylor Momsen who was just seven years old when the movie was released. In the movie, Momsen brought the emotional delivery of an industry pro by serving as the heart of the film. She also sang a solo for the movie, proving that she was already multitalented at a young age. Momsen is a child star who grew up to be gorgeous but her sense of style is much different from when she made her big screen debut in Whoville.

As a teenager, Momsen became widely known for her role as Jenny Humphrey in the iconic hit show "Gossip Girl." And her character's evolution similarly reflected the stunning style transformation that Taylor Momsen was having herself. When the show began in 2007, Momsen was a bright-eyed teen who often paired dresses and girly attire with her long hair and minimalist makeup. As time went on, she began to experiment more with shorter hairstyles and dark eyeliner. By the time Momsen was 18 years old, she had cemented herself in edgy, goth-adjacent outfits. She continues to embrace black clothing, makeup, and nail polish which contrasts against her platinum-blond tresses.

In 2010, Taylor Momsen officially retired from acting and shifted her focus to music. She has since been a member of The Pretty Reckless, a band of four in which Momsen is the lead singer. The group's sound is reminiscent of classic rock and grunge, which would describe Momsen's sense of style as well. She told Interview Magazine in 2010, "I like fashion. I like dark colors. I like makeup." This led to her "Gossip Girl" character transitioning to a darker wardrobe that was more in line with what Momsen was wearing. "I just began dressing more like myself, and doing my makeup myself, and so Jenny's style followed suit," she added. Her love of darker shades is obvious still to this day as Momsen is regularly seen mastering black eyeshadow looks.

Momsen has stated that she started to realize acting was not her passion around the same time that her band was created. She recalls that her obligation to "Gossip Girl" was a challenge because she knew she would rather devote her life to music. The series' writers agreed to write her character out of the show so Momsen was free to go on tour with her band. Since then, The Pretty Reckless has put out four albums and had multiple number-one singles.

Who would have thought that grungy goth-girl Taylor Momsen would record Christmas songs after leaving Cindy Lou Who behind all those years ago? The Pretty Reckless frontwoman announced in mid-October 2025 that the band would be releasing Momsen's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" song, "Where Are You Christmas?" (also known as "Christmas, Why Can't I Find You?") on Halloween, and it didn't disappoint. The track's intro features the 7-year-old version of the "Gossip Girl" star crooning the first notes, with present-day Momsen taking over and turning the song into a rock ballad. The band also released "Christmas, Why Can't I Find You?" as a more traditional take on the hit song from the 2000 film, as well as four other holiday tunes.

While talking to "Good Morning America" about going back to her Cindy Lou Who roots in November 2025, Momsen shared, "It was strangely very emotional for me in a lot of ways, and felt like this very full-circle moment of me accepting my past and bringing it into my future." She added, "The whole experience was wonderful, and I'm really excited that it's finally out. I aim to spread joy with this record. That's my goal. I think we could all use a little bit of joy in the world, and that's what this is." Ultimately, we love that Momsen is in her Christmas era while still staying true to her alternative-rock persona.