Taylor Momsen’s life has truly come full circle since her breakthrough role in the 2000 festive comedy How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The actress-turned-rock star defied all expectations for her career after playing the sweet-natured Cindy Lou Who, landing a risque role on Gossip Girl and then fronting the hard rock band The Pretty Reckless.

Momsen looked back on her life and career in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly in November 2025 to promote her festive EP Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas. She explained that the project “took on a life of its own” when The Pretty Reckless recorded their “heartwarming” original track “I Wanna Be Your Christmas Tree.”

“There was so much emotion, nostalgia and chaos wrapped up in it that it didn’t feel right to leave it standing alone,”

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