Taylor Michel Momsen (born July 26, 1993) is an American actress, musician and model who portrayed the character of Jenny Humphrey on the CW television series Gossip Girl and also portrayed the role of Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, she currently fronts the rock band The Pretty Reckless.

Her parents are Michael and Collette Momsen and she has a younger sister, Sloane Momsen, who is also an actress. She attended Our Lady of Lourdes School and was raised Catholic. She began acting professionally at three years of age with a 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 How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Two years later she was cast in the motion picture: Hansel and Gretel, in which she played Gretel.

Momsen’s career came to a halt for over three years until she received the lead role in the never-aired WB series Misconceptions. Momsen appeared in the 2006 film Saving Shiloh and also the 2007 Walt Disney Pictures film Underdog, as Molly. She auditioned for the title role in Hannah Montana, and was in the top three, but the role was instead awarded to Miley Cyrus. In 2008 Taylor Momsen starred as Jennifer in the movie “Paranoid Park”, directed by Gus Van Sant. From 2007-2011 she played the character of Jenny Humphrey in The CW television series Gossip Girl. Taylor attended the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City alongside Connor Paolo, Gregory Malek-Jones and Karina Pasian. Momsen, who appeared in only three episodes through the first half of season four, was then scheduled for an indefinite hiatus from the show. Later that year she revealed that she had quit the show, and acting, to focus on her music career.

In June 2008, at the age of fourteen, Momsen signed to IMG Models. Taylor was the face of British fashion chain New Look for its spring/summer 2010 collection. After weeks of speculation of who was 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 that was launched in autumn 2010.