The Sad Truth About Taylor Momsen's Cindy Lou Who Role

Every Christmas, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" will be on what feels like every channel on television. You can't escape the film, as it has brought joy to so many viewers during the holiday season. But many would be surprised to know that Taylor Momsen, who starred as Cindy Lou Who, didn't have the best time after the film premiered.

At just seven years old, Momsen landed the role of a lifetime as Cindy Lou Who. While she may not have known it at the time, the film would live on through generations. And while she filmed the movie, she had an absolute blast. In 2000, she told E! News, "We did a lot of auditions and it was really fun to try all the costumes on and the makeup and that was when I met Ron Howard," she continued, "It was a real privilege for me to get to work with him they narrowed it down to about three girls and I feel real privileged that I got chosen."

According to Box Office Mojo, after the film premiered, it remained number one in the box office for four weeks running and made over $345 million worldwide. If the "Gossip Girl" actor wasn't a well-known actor before the movie, she definitely was after it hit theaters. And while this would seem like it would be an exciting time for an actor, Momsen's life after "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" wasn't as easy as you may think.

Taylor Momsen was just a kid when "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" was released in theaters, and surprisingly, she still had to go to school after she became a big star as Cindy Lou Who. But if you think her fame would make it easier to make friends, it did the exact opposite.

Momsen appeared on the "Podcrushed" podcast in September 2023 and revealed that her iconic role in the Christmas film alienated her from other kids. She explained, "Every time I would start a new school or go somewhere else, I don't even think the kids knew my name. I was just 'Grinch girl.'" She revealed that the kids wouldn't even call her by her character name, and she was taunted by being "Grinch girl." She said, "I got used to it, but it was alienating." Momsen admitted that it wasn't until middle school that she began making friends.

Even though it was tough for Momsen as a kid, she eventually learned how to appreciate her iconic role as Cindy Lou Who as she grew up. The actor told ET, "It's certainly funny now when people don't realize I played Cindy Lou Who ... I grew up, but I think deep down I've still got a lot of Cindy Lou Who in me." Now, it's exciting for Momsen to be recognized as Cindy Lou Who, but back as a seven-year-old, it wasn't as thrilling.

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" has it all: fun characters, a sweet plotline, and even music. One song that might stick out when it comes to the Christmas film is when Taylor Momsen, who plays Cindy Lou Who, sings "Where Are You Christmas." Momsen sang a lot in the film, and it was one of the first times she was formally introduced to the world of music. She told ET, "The Grinch was the first time I went into a recording studio ... It was such an impactful moment in my life. It made me go, I want to make music for the rest of my life. I love being in a recording studio." Momsen's love for music was sparked on the set of the Christmas film, and it was ultimately music that helped her make friends in school after being bullied.

Momsen told the "Podcrushed" podcast, "That [middle school] was the first [full] year where I was in school, and I had the opportunity to try and actually make friends." The "Gossip Girl" actor decided to take control and form a band to make new friends and do what she loved. She shared, "But we would jam after school, and that was always fun. I was singing, playing guitar, writing." Music was an outlet for Momsen, and that passion only grew as she got older.