Walter Byron

Taylor Michel Momsen is an American singer, actress, and model. Born on June 26, 1993, in St. Louis, Missouri, she is the first child of Colette and Michael Momsen. Her younger sister, Sloane Momsen, is also an actress. She began her professional acting career at age 3 with a national commercial for Shake N Bake. She then appeared in *The Prophet's Game*. In 2000, she gained recognition for her role as Cindy Lou Who in *How the Grinch Stole Christmas*. In 2002, she appeared in three projects: *Hansel and Gretel* (as Gretel), *Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams* (as the American President's daughter), and *We Were Soldiers*. She was a finalist for the lead role in *Hannah Montana*, but the role went to Miley Cyrus. Momsen achieved widespread recognition for her role as Jenny Humphrey in the television series *Gossip Girl*. A main cast member for the first four seasons, Momsen left the show to pursue her music career. In 2009, she became the lead vocalist of the rock band The Pretty Reckless, which she co-founded, and has released several albums with the band.