Star Of The Grinch Was Bullied For Their Role In Movie
Poor Cindy Lou Who. Actress, model, and rock star Taylor Momsen recently opened up about the bullying she endured following her role as Cindy Lou Who in 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. As reported by Comicbook.com, Momsen stated that kids at school used to call her “Grinch Girl.”
“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. Not even the character name, just Grinch Girl. I got used to it, but it was alienating.”
Taylor Momsen on being teased in school
While speaking to former Gossip Girl co-star Penn Badgley on his podcast, Podcrushed, Taylor Momsen recalled that there was a dark side to her fame in the Christmas classic. As she and her family moved around, she was bullied everywhere she went.
“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,” Momsen said. “Not even the character name, just Grinch Girl. I got used to it, but it was alienating.”
Taylor Momsen starred in How the Grinch Stole Christmas when she was only seven years old, but her career in front of the camera began at the age of two when her parents signed her to a modeling agency. By three, Momsen was booking television commercials.
She appeared on a handful of television shows and earned her first film role in the crime thriller The Prophet’s Game. All that was overshadowed immediately when she starred next to Jim Carrey, the actor behind the Grinch.
Heaven knows what Taylor Momsen went through in school when her social life was goin’ down because of her role in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas came together with an all-star team, including Ron Howard as director. Jim Carrey endured legendarily torturous makeup application for months to deliver his iconic performance as the Grinch.
Taylor Momsen has expressed in the past that, in spite of the bullying, she is happy to be a part of the Christmas classic. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a holiday staple for an entire generation, and Momsen praised it for its heartwarming message.
Taylor Momsen’s Life After The Grinch
After her Grinch role, Taylor Momsen notably went on to star in The CW series Gossip Girl for four seasons. She left the show before its conclusion, returning later for a brief part in the series finale. She now works as a model and as the frontwoman of the rock band The Pretty Reckless.
Momsen’s group has achieved international success. Fueled by inspirations like Kurt Cobain, the Beatles, and Marilyn Manson, The Pretty Reckless became the first female-fronted rock band in history to have five number-one singles.
Taylor Momsen goes to music to be herself. Her gothic rocker look is a far cry from her Grinch Girl days, but the film remains an important chapter in her life. The story of the Grinch is an enduring Christmas tradition for millions of people, and this year, that story is expanding.
Random House has released a sequel to the Dr. Seuss classic with How the Grinch Lost Christmas! The story is set one year after the events of the 1957 book. If the new story ever makes its way to the big screen, don’t expect to see Taylor Momsen in it.
Life can be tough for child actors. Taylor Momsen has managed to succeed in her adult life, but there is no doubt that her upbringing in the movies continues to impact the star. Taylor Momsen may be a successful model and musician, but to many, she will always be Grinch Girl. And, unlike her childhood bullies, we mean that in the sweetest possible way.
