Taylor Momsen and Jim Carrey Reunite 25 Years After How the Grinch Stole Christmas — and Share the Heartwarming Memories That Still Make Them Smile
It was a reunion that brought holiday nostalgia to life — two beloved stars of How the Grinch Stole Christmas standing side by side again after 25 years. At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Los Angeles, Taylor Momsen, now 32, reunited with Jim Carrey, her on-screen costar and the man who brought Dr. Seuss’s green-hearted Grinch to life in the 2000 holiday classic. For fans who grew up watching the mischievous Grinch and sweet little Cindy Lou Who, the moment felt like Christmas morning — equal parts emotional, unexpected, and magical.
Momsen, who attended the ceremony to perform with Soundgarden, was just seven years old when she starred opposite Carrey. Seeing him again, she told People, was “like meeting an old friend who changed your life without even realizing it.” The reunion, captured in photos that quickly went viral, showed Carrey and Momsen smiling warmly — the actor dressed in a sleek pinstriped suit, the musician in her signature black leather — two artists whose lives took very different paths yet remain connected through a timeless film that defined a generation.
In an exclusive interview with People, Momsen recalled her favorite memories of working with Carrey, describing him as “kind, protective, and always full of energy.” She said, “He was everything you’d hope Jim Carrey would be. He made the set feel alive every single day.” At the time, Momsen was too young to fully grasp who Carrey was — a global comedy superstar coming off hits like The Mask and Liar Liar. “To me, he wasn’t ‘Jim Carrey.’ He was just The Grinch,” she laughed. “I actually didn’t know what he looked like without all that makeup. Someone had to tell me, ‘That’s him!’ I was shocked.”
Carrey, 63, was equally delighted to see his former co-star. During the ceremony, which honored rock legends Soundgarden, he presented the band’s induction speech — while Momsen, who fronts the rock group The Pretty Reckless, joined them on stage to perform. Their reunion wasn’t planned for nostalgia, but when they crossed paths backstage, it instantly became the moment of the night. “We hugged, we laughed — it was surreal,” Momsen said. “It’s not every day you get to see the person who made your childhood magical.”
For fans, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is more than just a holiday film — it’s a touchstone. Released in November 2000, directed by Ron Howard, and based on Dr. Seuss’s 1957 story, the movie earned over $345 million worldwide and became one of the most beloved Christmas classics of all time. Carrey’s transformative performance as the bitter, furry hermit who learns to love again turned into one of his most enduring roles. But behind that green fur and prosthetic smile was a grueling process. Carrey spent up to eight hours a day in makeup, enduring a costume so uncomfortable that producers reportedly brought in a Navy SEAL to teach him endurance techniques. “He never once let me see the hard part,” Momsen recalled. “He was always smiling, always in character, always fun. I learned professionalism and playfulness from watching him.”
The chemistry between Carrey’s Grinch and Momsen’s Cindy Lou Who became the emotional heart of the movie. Her character’s innocence and belief in kindness helped melt the Grinch’s heart — and, for many viewers, defined the movie’s enduring warmth. “That connection between us was real,” Momsen said. “Even though I was little, I felt safe around him. He treated me like a partner, not just a kid actor.”
Now, two and a half decades later, seeing each other again reminded both of how deeply the film continues to resonate. For Carrey, who has stepped back from acting in recent years, The Grinch remains one of his proudest achievements. In a previous interview, he called it “a story about transformation — about realizing that love, not isolation, wins in the end.”
The reunion also carried an extra layer of meaning. At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Momsen was there not as the child actor fans remember but as a powerful rock vocalist honoring one of her musical heroes. Her band, The Pretty Reckless, has earned chart-topping success and critical acclaim, yet she credits Carrey with helping spark her creativity early on. “Watching him disappear into a role showed me what it means to fully give yourself to art,” she said. “That stuck with me all these years.”
The event itself was packed with emotional moments — from Chris Cornell’s daughter Lily Cornell Silver joining Carrey onstage to induct Soundgarden, to Momsen performing in Cornell’s honor. But it was the quiet interaction between Carrey and Momsen that captured hearts online. Fans flooded social media with split-screen comparisons of their 2000 film stills and their 2025 reunion photos. “Cindy Lou Who grew up — and The Grinch couldn’t be prouder,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another joked, “Even The Grinch’s heart grew three sizes seeing this.”
For Momsen, revisiting The Grinch at this point in her life feels like coming full circle. “When you’re a kid, you don’t realize how much something will mean to people,” she said. “I meet fans all the time who tell me they watch it every Christmas. It’s amazing to be part of something that brings people joy year after year.”
Carrey, known for his quiet life outside the spotlight in recent years, has been reflective about his legacy. In the days following the ceremony, he reposted photos of the reunion with a simple caption: “Merry Whomas.” For an actor whose comedic brilliance once defined a decade, it was the perfect nod — playful, heartfelt, and unmistakably Grinch-like.
The two shared more than just a handshake and a few laughs. They shared gratitude — for the journey, for each other, and for a film that continues to bridge generations. “It’s funny,” Momsen said. “That movie taught me about kindness. About believing that people can change. Seeing Jim again reminded me that lesson still matters — maybe more than ever.”
As the night wound down, Momsen posed for photos with Carrey one last time, both smiling wide under the flashing lights. He leaned in, whispered something that made her laugh, and they hugged goodbye. The moment felt like a perfect final scene — two people connected by time, talent, and a little holiday magic.
Twenty-five years after Whoville, the spirit of The Grinch is alive and well — not in makeup or costumes, but in friendship and memory. And just like Cindy Lou Who taught the world back then, it turns out that sometimes, all it takes is love — and a good reunion — to make a heart grow three sizes again.
