Taylor Michel Momsen (born July 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, model, and former actress. She is known for portraying the character of Jenny Humphrey on The CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl (2007–2012) and Cindy Lou Who in the film How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000). After her retirement from acting, she became widely known for being the frontwoman of the American rock band The Pretty Reckless.
Momsen was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents are Michael and Collette Momsen and she has a younger sister, Sloane Momsen, who is also an actress. She has Russian ancestry. She was raised Roman Catholic and attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School for elementary school and later Herbert Hoover Middle School in Potomac, Maryland but is now non-religious. She also studied dance at the Center of Creative Arts in St. Louis.
Momsen was signed with Ford Models at a very young age: "My parents signed me up with Ford at the age of 2. No 2-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." 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.