Gossip Girl star Taylor Momsen has opened up about the impact her role in the 2000 Jim Carrey film The Grinch had on her life — and it wasn't always positive.
In a new interview with Penn Badgley's Podcrushed Podcast, Momsen, who quit Gossip Girl after playing Jenny Humphrey, explained that her role as Cindy Lou Who led to her being mocked and teased by classmates at school.
"First of all, The Grinch changed my life in a multitude of ways — one of them being I was made fun of relentlessly. 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.
Related: Gossip Girl stars reunite for special project
"Not even the character name [Cindy Lou Who], just Grinch Girl. I got used to it, but it was alienating," she continued.
Momsen went on to explain that the teasing continued throughout her school experiences as she was moved around to multiple different schools. She explained that it wasn't until middle school that she finally developed her own friendship group.
"That was the first year where I was in school, and I had the opportunity to try and actually make friends," she said.
Related: First look at The Grinch horror movie The Mean One
"I put a band together. It was my first band, my middle-school band, a garage band. We never could settle on a name. But we would jam after school, and that was always fun. I was singing, playing guitar, writing."
The Grinch has been a beloved film for years now, with the movie even leading to fan theories 23 years after the picture was released. Meanwhile, The Grinch will have its first-ever live concert in the UK later this year.
Those wanting a more adult experience, however, can watch The Mean One — the first horror movie about Dr. Seuss' character.
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Jacob is a freelance writer who specialises in narrative TV and film.
He graduated from the University of Roehampton with an MA in Journalism and has written for several publications since, including Gold Derby, Insider, and Screen Daily.
Jacob has covered major events in the world of film and TV, including numerous BAFTA ceremonies and the Cannes Film Festival, while he's also been an awards expert for several publications, including Korea's Arirang. His particular areas of interest include Star Wars, the MCU, the Oscars, and Hugh Grant.
