‘Grinch’ Turns 25: Taylor Momsen on “Otherworldly” Reunion With Jim Carrey and How the Film Led to Career Change

Jim Carrey and How the Grinch Stole Christmas co-star Taylor Momsen reunited this month for the first time in 25 years — and the unexpected circumstances bringing them together felt like a holiday miracle.

On Nov. 17, 2000, Universal Pictures released Ron Howard’s live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ 1957 children’s book of the same name that had previously been the basis for the 1966 animated TV special. Despite some grumbling from critics, the movie was a smash. It collected $346 million worldwide and was the year’s highest-grossing title domestically, in addition to winning the Oscar for best makeup, en route to becoming a holiday favorite. The feature stars Carrey as the titular green outcast who despises Christmas and Momsen as young Whoville resident Cindy Lou Who.

During a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter to celebrate the movie’s 25th anniversary, Momsen explains the unlikely coincidences that brought her and Carrey to reconnect at this month’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where Momsen performed onstage with Soundgarden, while Carrey introduced the group.

Momsen — the Gossip Girl alum who left the Hollywood industry years ago to pursue music full-time with her band the Pretty Reckless — also discusses the one part about playing Cindy that she disliked, her new cover version of the film’s song “Where Are You Christmas?” and whether she misses acting.

I don’t think that people realized at the time that the film would become so embraced.

I was just [speaking to someone]and they were talking about negative press[for[forThe Grinch], which I was never aware of because I was so little. I started the audition process at 5, and then it came out when I was 7. You take something that’s so beloved like the original The Grinch cartoon and try to transform it into something new, of course that’s going to be met with some resistance. But the film that Ron made is so heartwarming. How can you not love it? It’s for children; it’s for adults. The core story is so universal. It’s just amazing.

How was your audition process?

I don’t totally remember the very beginning of it. I was going on a lot of auditions at the time, but I remember everyone telling me how important it was [this one] was. The screen-testing is what sticks in my brain, when it was finally down to the last two or three girls, and we started to play with the costumes. Suddenly, wigs were brought into play and funky clothing, which was just such a fun process for me as a kid. Getting to put on a neon pink wig and play dress up and be this character, it really started to make Cindy feel real. After I booked it, they went in a very different direction than the original screen testing and went with a natural hair color.

So she was going to have pink hair at one point.

There was a pink one. There was a green one. I remember walking into the hair and makeup room to get ready for the screen-testing, and all these different colored wigs laid out and displayed on the table. We went through different ones, matching skin tones. [Special makeup effects artist] Rick Baker actually casted my face. At one point, I was going to have prosthetics. They opted against that, thankfully, and I agree with that choice. (Laughs.) That might have been a bit much for me as a kid. It was so much fun to get to become Cindy every day. It wasn’t like your average set, where you put on a little blush. You really were transforming into a character.

What was Ron like as a director?

He was great. Everyone on that set, they became my surrogate family. From Ron being just the guiding light of all of it, and so understanding, communicative and gentle with me — just such a great leader in every way, shape or form. And Jim was the most protective and so caring about me as a person and constantly checking in, making sure I was OK, making sure I ate enough. And same with [onscreen parents] Molly [Shannon] and Bill [Irwin]. They became my surrogate parents. I was raised in Whoville. It never felt like a job. I hated going back to the hotel at the end of the night.

Do you recall any challenges during the shoot?

I don’t think “challenging” would be the right word. I got to do all my own stunts, so that was a new experience, but a totally fun one. So I got to go to “Who school” and learn how to be lifted up on wires wearing a harness and how to fall through a trap door and how to climb up a gigantic slide — that was the trash chute — because there were no stairs. The only thing I remember not liking was the teeth — not the teeth themselves, but the taste of the glue. So when I put my teeth in in the morning, I never took them out because I hated how the glue tasted. I ate with them. I talked with them. I went to homeschooling on the set with them.

What do you remember about performing “Where Are You Christmas?” in the movie?

As a kid, when I found out Cindy was going to sing in the movie, I don’t think I’d ever been so excited. (Laughs.) I loved singing, and I had just started writing songs around that time. I didn’t realize what a huge impact getting to go into the studio would have on my life. It was my first studio training, where a producer was giving me tricks of the trade. It’s where I fell in love with the recording studio, and to this day, the recording studio is my favorite place in the world to be.

How did it feel to have your band doing a rock version of “Where Are You Christmas?” for your new album?

It’s so fun. It’s something that fans have been asking for since the incarnation of the Pretty Reckless and that for years I said is never going to happen. It was actually during COVID at Christmastime, when everything was very hard. We went into the rehearsal space, and the jaded side of me melted a little bit, and I went, “Should we just try this?” We put together an arrangement, we played through it once, and — I kid you not — by the end of the song, we were blissfully happy. We went, “I think that was just great, and we have to do this now.” It really started with the fans, and then we brought it to life. It then turned into a whole Christmas album[[Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas]because I’m a completist, and everything has to have depth and mean something. So I wrote a whole record around it, touching on all the emotions that you feel during the holidays and while growing up.

You recently reconnected with Jim Carrey during the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame induction ceremony. What was it like to see him again?

Talk about universal alignment. He inducted Soundgarden, and I was performing with Soundgarden, and when [drummer] Matt Cameron told me a few days before the ceremony that Jim was inducting them, my head about exploded. I could not believe what he was telling me because what are the odds of that?

So it wasn’t intentional to have you both there?

Not like that at all. Soundgarden was Jim’s favorite band, and he hosted SNL [in 1996] and requested that Soundgarden be the musical guest. I didn’t know that. Fast-forward a few years later[afterfilming[afterfilmingThe Grinch], and Soundgarden is my pillar of music. I love them so much, it’s a part of my identity, and they formed me as a musician. That’s otherworldly. To have that connection culminate in one evening together, as it’s the 25th anniversary of the The Grinchas we’re putting out this record — all of which is complete and utter coincidence — was insane. I was so excited about it once I knew it was coming, but you don’t know what to expect. It was so emotional and good to see him, and when I hugged him, it felt like coming home. I just was like, on a deep level, I know this person, even though I haven’t seen you in 25 years. I still have chills from it, and now we’re back in touch, and it’s amazing.

What was it like to perform with Soundgarden?

First of all, I’m so happy for them. The evening itself was very emotional. The weight of that night and [late singer] Chris [Cornell] and everything — I felt that very heavily. But I’m so honored and grateful that they asked me to be a part of it.

Is there a part of you that misses acting?

No. Acting was something that I did from such a young age. I started at 2, and so at 2 years old, you’re not making your own choices. I don’t even mean that in a negative way. It was the same as going to school. It was just something that was a part of my life. When I got to an age that I realized it was a job, and it was a choice, and it was something I didn’t have to do, it all became very clear to me. I always wanted to make music. In the moment that I put the band together, all those pieces fall into place. It was a very simple decision for me to leave the job behind and solely focus on music. I’ve now been in the Pretty Reckless longer than the entirety of my acting career.

Is there a full-length album coming down the road?

Of course there is! The end of this year and going into 2026 is going to be really exciting. We have new music on the way. I don’t have dates or any more information at the moment, but new music, and we’re going back out on tour with AC/DC in 2026. It’s going to be awesome.