Taylor Michel Momsen (born July 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, model, and
actress. Momsen is best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock band The Pretty Reckless. The band formed in 2009. Prior to her music career, she started off as a child actress. She debuted as Cindy Lou Who in the film How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000). Some of her other roles include, Alexandra Anami in Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002), Molly in Underdog (2007), and Jenny Humphrey on The CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl (2007–2010; 2012).
Taylor Michel Momsen was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 26, 1993. Her parents are Michael and Collette Momsen. She also has a younger sister, Sloane Momsen, who is also an actress. The sisters are of partial Russian descent. Momsen was raised Catholic, attending Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School for elementary school and later Herbert Hoover Middle School in Potomac, Maryland. She also studied dance after-school at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in St. Louis. Upon moving to New York City, Momsen attended the Professional Performing Arts School.
She began acting professionally at three years of age in a 1997 national commercial for Shake 'n Bake. She was then cast in The Prophet's Game.
In 2000, Momsen played the role of Cindy Lou Who in Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, alongside Jim Carrey, her breakout role. In 2002, she played Gretel in Hansel and Gretel and Alexandra, the President's daughter, in Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams. She also starred alongside her younger sister, Sloane Momsen, in We Were Soldiers (2002).
Momsen received a lead role in the WB series Misconceptions, which never aired. After that, she appeared in the 2006 film Saving Shiloh. She also auditioned for the title role in Hannah Montana, and was in the top three, but the role was instead awarded to Miley Cyrus. Momsen was happy about the decision in retrospect. In 2007, she starred in the Walt Disney Pictures film Underdog as Molly and as Jennifer in the movie Paranoid Park, directed by Gus Van Sant.
Beginning in 2007, she played the character of Jenny Humphrey in The CW television series Gossip Girl, based on the book series by Cecily von Ziegesar. Momsen's appearances on the series became increasingly sporadic, and, by the end of the first half of the fourth season, she had only appeared in four episodes. It was then announced that the actress would be scheduled for an indefinite hiatus from the show, which ended with her leaving the series as a regular cast member after the completion of the fourth season in 2011. On August 16, 2011, Momsen told Elle magazine that she had quit acting to focus on her music career. On October 16, 2012, it was reported that Momsen would be returning to Gossip Girl for its final episode, in which she appeared briefly in the wedding sequence.
Reflecting on her child acting career, she described it as an "alienating" experience, detailing bullying she received after her performance in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Momsen was signed with Ford Models at a very young age: "My parents signed me up with Ford [Modeling] at the age of two. No two-year-old wants to be working, but I had no choice. My whole life, I was in and out of school. I didn't have friends. I was working constantly and I didn't have a real life."
In June 2008, at the age of 14, Momsen signed to IMG Models. She was the face of British fashion chain New Look for its spring/summer 2010 collection. After weeks of speculation about who would be the face of Madonna's 2010 fashion line "Material Girl", Momsen was announced on July 15, 2010. A week later, Momsen was announced as the model for John Galliano's new women's fragrance, scheduled to launch in autumn 2010. In 2010, she appeared in a video for Galliano's "Parlez-Moi d'Amour" fragrance ad campaign.
Momsen is the face of Samantha Thavasa's handbag line. She has done multiple photoshoots, press events, and commercials.
Momsen appeared on the cover of Page Six Magazine when she was 15 years old in 2009. She also appeared on the February 2010 cover of Seventeen. In October 2010, Momsen wore a pair of platform stilettos, thigh-high stockings, and a holster strapped around her leg for Revolver. She appeared on the cover of FHM's March 2012 edition and FHM ranked Momsen #29 in its 2012 Hot 100 issue. She also made her cover debut for Maxim in the November 2013 issue.
In an interview with music journalist Jason Tanamor, when asked about posing for Playboy, she said, "I was at the mansion last week and took some pictures. Does that count?"
Momsen has said that "music is where I can be me", stating that "acting is easy. I've been doing it for so long and I totally love it. But you're playing a character instead of yourself. Music is more personal because you're writing it and you're involved in every step of it." In 2000, Momsen recorded the song "Where Are You Christmas?" for the soundtrack to How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
In March 2009, Momsen stated in an interview with OK! magazine that her band the Pretty Reckless had signed a deal with Interscope Records. She played her first tour with her band opening for The Veronicas on their Revenge Is Sweeter Tour in spring 2009. Momsen worked with several producers before meeting Kato Khandwala. Khandwala introduced Momsen to guitarist Ben Phillips, and they began writing songs together.
The band released their self-titled EP on June 22, 2010. The band's debut album Light Me Up was released on August 27, 2010 where it debuted at number 6, as well as at number 1 on the Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart. The first single "Make Me Wanna Die" was released on May 30, 2010, while the second single "Miss Nothing" which was released on August 23, 2010. "Just Tonight" was released as the album's third single. Songs from this album have featured in the movie Kick-Ass as well as the television series The Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl.
Television personality Heidi Montag recorded "Blackout", a song written by Momsen. According to Momsen, she wrote the song when she was 8 years old and recorded it as a demo with a producer. Montag released the song as a digital-only single, with the music video being directed by her husband Spencer Pratt. Momsen commented about the recording: "I'm like, okay, dude, you're singing an 8-year-old's words, but that's cool. It's so funny because I didn't shop it or anything and I get this call going, 'Did you write a song for Heidi Montag'? And I'm like, 'What?'" The track was later included on Montag's debut studio album, Superficial (2010).
On July 27, 2011, Momsen announced that the band would be the supporting act for Evanescence during the fall of 2011. Throughout 2012, Momsen and her band toured North America; the second headlining tour, titled the Medicine Tour, began in March 2012. Momsen also appeared as guest vocalist on ex Ministry member Paul Barker's 2012 album Fix This.