Jim Carrey & Taylor Momsen's Photo Reunion Is Jarring Reminder Of How Much They Changed

2025 marks 25 years since Taylor Momsen and Jim Carrey's film "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" made its world premiere, and they both stole everyone's hearts as Cindy Lou Who and The Grinch, respectively. Momsen was just 7 years old when she got the star-making role, so it's no stretch to say she's gone through a big transformation in Hollywood (several times over, actually). After navigating child stardom and finding fame again on "Gossip Girl" in the 2000s, Momsen quit acting to focus on making music with her band The Pretty Reckless. In November 2025, she had a rare reunion with Carrey at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and the photos prove that the "Sonic the Hedgehog" star has changed a lot since he ran around on set as a grumpy green creature, too. 

Kevin Mazur/Getty

The stars both dressed very rock & roll for the occasion, with Carrey wearing a striped coat and Momsen looking every bit the rock frontwoman in black fishnets, a black top, a black leather jacket, and extremely smoky black eye makeup. The former actor has embraced this style for many years, but it is a jarring change from her Cindy Lou Who days as a kid, when she wore her golden blonde hair in whimsical braids and just wanted the Grinch to feel the magic of Christmas. Carrey looked great in the new photos, too, especially considering that when he last spent a lot of time with Momsen, he was covered in green body makeup and fuzz that was purposefully ugly. 

On a 2023 episode of the "Podcrushed" podcast hosted by her former "Gossip Girl" costar Penn Badgley, Taylor Momsen recalled being relentlessly made fun of for her role in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." She said she got used to the teasing and has since reflected on many fun memories on set with Jim Carrey and the rest of the film's cast. "I just love that he was very protective of me. He was always very kind. And just the entire experience of filming Grinch and getting to know him so well, even in all the makeup, was just wonderful," Momsen told People at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in November. She added that watching Carrey take his craft so seriously still has an impact on her as an adult, and she was excited to share that sentiment with him. 

In 2025, Momsen and her band, The Pretty Reckless, honored her life-changing experience making "The Grinch" with a Christmas EP called "Taylor Momsen's Pretty Reckless Christmas." The closing track is a rock version of "Christmas, Why Can't I Find You?" the sad ballad that she first sang when she played a little girl searching for Christmas.