Call Her Daddy

Taylor Momsen: The Grinch, Gossip Girl, & Grief

November 5, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • Taylor Momsen decided to record a rock version of "Where Are You Christmas" from *The Grinch* after years of fan requests, spurred by a period of personal grief and lockdown creativity. 
  • The intense, blurring of lines between her character Jenny Humphrey and her real self, exacerbated by invasive paparazzi coverage, was the primary catalyst for Taylor Momsen quitting *Gossip Girl* to pursue music. 
  • Taylor Momsen faced significant professional hurdles gaining credibility as a musician due to her background as a teen actress on a major television franchise, which she overcame by relentlessly focusing on her authentic music and ceasing to defend herself against critics. 
  • The profound grief Taylor Momsen experienced after the simultaneous loss of the Soundgarden lead singer and her best friend/producer Kato Gondwala nearly led her to give up on life, making music temporarily inaccessible. 
  • Momsen's approach to double standards in the music industry is to ignore gender comparisons entirely, focusing only on competing with the best musicians regardless of gender. 
  • Taylor Momsen found the path out of her darkest period of grief by methodically reintroducing herself to the music that defined her passion, starting with The Beatles, which ultimately led to the creation of the hopeful album *Death by Rock and Roll*. 

Segments

Podcast Intro and Sponsorships
Copied to clipboard!
(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Call Her Daddy has joined the SiriusXM family, offering ad-free episodes via SiriusXM Podcasts Plus.
  • Summary: The podcast opens by announcing its move to the SiriusXM family, encouraging listeners to subscribe for ad-free content. Several sponsors are introduced, including Crocs Cozy Slippers, Schwarzkopf Keratin Color, and Yves Saint-Laurent’s Lieb collection fragrance.
Taylor Momsen’s Night Owl Schedule
Copied to clipboard!
(00:02:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Momsen’s brain functions optimally starting around 7 PM, a routine influenced by years of touring schedules.
  • Summary: Alex Cooper notes Taylor Momsen is a night owl, which Taylor confirms, stating her brain doesn’t fully wake up until 7 PM. She finds that trying to sleep early often results in being more tired the next day than sleeping less naturally.
The Grinch Christmas EP Origin
Copied to clipboard!
(00:03:53)
  • Key Takeaway: The Pretty Reckless’s Christmas EP, featuring a rock version of “Where Are You Christmas,” was created during COVID lockdown after fans relentlessly requested it for 15 years.
  • Summary: The idea for the rock cover originated from persistent fan requests connecting Taylor Momsen to her role as Cindy Lou Who in The Grinch. After experiencing significant loss during COVID, the band jammed the song, finding it magically uplifting, which led Taylor to write an entire original Christmas record around it.
Childhood Fame and Bullying
Copied to clipboard!
(00:06:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Momsen’s ability to discuss her Grinch role positively now reflects significant personal growth following a period of grief.
  • Summary: Taylor acknowledges that she previously would have been resistant to discussing her child star roles, but overcoming grief forced a positive reflection on her life’s beginning. She recalls being relentlessly teased as a child for being the “Grinch girl” despite the project being an incredible experience.
Early Career Start and The Grinch Audition
Copied to clipboard!
(00:09:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Momsen began her career at age two in modeling after her agency suggested she get an acting agent, booking her first national commercial at age three.
  • Summary: Her parents put her into modeling at two, and an agency suggested she pursue acting, leading to a national commercial booking at three. The audition process for The Grinch was long, involving screen tests where she tried on various wigs to determine Cindy Lou Who’s look.
On Set Experience with Jim Carrey
Copied to clipboard!
(00:12:28)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Momsen never saw Jim Carrey out of costume because he was in prosthetics for hours before she arrived, leading her to only recognize him at the premiere.
  • Summary: The set for The Grinch was a whimsical playground with acrobats and large sets, and Taylor did her own stunts after stunt training. She credits seeing Carrey’s dedication to his craft at a young age as impactful, noting he was kind and protective, never scary to her.
Transitioning from Film to School Life
Copied to clipboard!
(00:15:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Returning to Catholic school in St. Louis after filming The Grinch highlighted the harsh reality of peer judgment versus the magic of filmmaking.
  • Summary: Taylor recalls the difficulty of returning to normal life, including being punished in Catholic school for growth spurts causing her skirt to be too short. She notes that songwriting became a crucial outlet because, unlike acting, it allowed her to express her authentic self.
Gossip Girl Identity Crisis
Copied to clipboard!
(00:18:20)
  • Key Takeaway: The shift to Gossip Girl caused an identity crisis because paparazzi photographed her as the character Jenny Humphrey, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
  • Summary: Unlike the clear imaginative line of The Grinch, Gossip Girl thrust her into celebrity culture where tabloids used photos of her character’s actions against her real identity. This lack of autonomy made her realize she was not suited to being “someone else’s tool.”
Paparazzi Exploitation and Negative Press
Copied to clipboard!
(00:31:24)
  • Key Takeaway: The most violating press Taylor Momsen experienced involved paparazzi shooting up her skirt on stage at age 16, which was then published with a negative headline.
  • Summary: The sudden fame brought intense paparazzi attention, including them following her to her sister’s school, which she found unnerving. She describes a specific incident where a photographer captured her exposed tampon string during a performance, which was then used by Perez Hilton to call her trashy.
Quitting Gossip Girl Contract Battle
Copied to clipboard!
(00:44:28)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Momsen had to fight a difficult contractual battle with The CW and Warner Brothers to leave Gossip Girl in Season 4, ultimately succeeding when the writers agreed to write her character out.
  • Summary: She knew she had to leave around Season 2 but faced resistance from the network, who called her ungrateful for turning away from a successful career. The head of Warner Brothers initially refused to release her, but the showrunners agreed to write Jenny Humphrey out of the series so Taylor could tour with her band.
The Pretty Reckless Name Origin
Copied to clipboard!
(00:52:32)
  • Key Takeaway: The band name The Pretty Reckless originated as ‘The Reckless,’ but a trademark conflict with a 70s band forced them to add ‘Pretty,’ which fans then abbreviated back to ‘The Reckless.’
  • Summary: Coming up with a band name was difficult due to existing trademarks in the internet age. The lawyer suggested adding a word to ‘The Reckless’ to secure the trademark, leading to ‘The Pretty Reckless.’ Taylor now feels the music defines the name, not the other way around.
Touring with Soundgarden
Copied to clipboard!
(00:57:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Opening for Soundgarden was the surreal, validating peak of Taylor Momsen’s career up to that point, fulfilling a foundational musical aspiration.
  • Summary: Soundgarden and The Beatles were the two primary musical pillars that inspired the formation of The Pretty Reckless. Receiving the offer to open for Soundgarden after their reunion was described as the coolest and most exciting moment in Momsen’s life. She noted that the band members were exactly as kind and musically brilliant as she had hoped, defying the ‘don’t meet your heroes’ adage.
Tragedy and Dark Period
Copied to clipboard!
(01:00:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The immediate succession of the Soundgarden lead singer’s death followed by her best friend Kato Gondwala’s death initiated a severe downward spiral involving substance abuse and a desire to give up on life.
  • Summary: The lead singer of Soundgarden passed away the morning after the final tour date, which was a shocking and traumatic event for Momsen. About a year later, her best friend and producer, Kato Gondwala, died in a motorcycle accident, which she called ’the nail in the coffin’ for her mental state. This double tragedy led her to isolate herself, shut off communication, and enter a period where she was perfectly fine with fading away.
Reclaiming Music After Loss
Copied to clipboard!
(01:07:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The intense grief caused by the deaths of Chris Cornell and Kato Gondwala temporarily severed Momsen’s connection to music, as every song and band became attached to painful memories.
  • Summary: Music, usually her solace, became unbearable because listening to Soundgarden or The Beatles brought back overwhelming emotion connected to the deceased. She eventually began healing by calculatedly revisiting the music chronologically, starting with The Beatles to find joy again before eventually being able to listen to Soundgarden. The writing process for the album Death by Rock and Roll was a necessary, cathartic act for herself, marking the first step toward turning the corner.
Grief as a Scar
Copied to clipboard!
(01:11:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Momsen views the pain of loss as a permanent scar that heals from gushing blood to a visible mark, and she is proud to carry those scars as proof of how much she loved those people.
  • Summary: She emphasized that while the intensity of grief lessens over time, the wound leaves a massive scar that becomes a part of you. She stated that the Death by Rock and Roll record is ultimately hopeful, conveying that light exists at the end of the tunnel, even when it seems impossible. The core message for those struggling is that time does help, but one must hang on long enough to reach the other side.
Music Career vs. Acting
Copied to clipboard!
(01:15:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Momsen feels her true self and passion is expressed through music, contrasting sharply with acting roles like Cindy Lou Who, which she views simply as a job.
  • Summary: Momsen stated that when discussing her music career, she does not let gender bias affect her focus, wanting only to compete with the best artists overall. She contrasted this with her acting career, which she views as work that she did not always enjoy, unlike music, which is her passion and purpose. The host concluded that Momsen truly lights up when discussing music, confirming it is her authentic identity.
Dating Non-Negotiables
Copied to clipboard!
(01:19:28)
  • Key Takeaway: Taylor Momsen requires potential partners to be kind, funny, smart, share her musical taste, and fundamentally worship her music.
  • Summary: She seeks deep, meaningful connections rather than fleeting relationships, looking for partners who fill a necessary void in her life. A major past issue was dating men who used her for industry access or status, which led to significant trust issues she can now recognize. She confirmed she was cheated on after walking in on the act at a party, which resulted in her getting her one and only tattoo—a tiny star.
Future Plans and Grinch Nostalgia
Copied to clipboard!
(01:24:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Momsen is looking forward to continuing the tour cycle with AC/DC and is proud that The Grinch remains a source of joy for audiences worldwide.
  • Summary: She expressed excitement about continuing the tour with AC/DC, calling their live show a ‘schooling in what rock and roll is.’ She finds deep happiness in knowing her role in The Grinch brings joy to people every Christmas season, especially with the film’s 25th-anniversary re-release. Her immediate future plans revolve around the cycle of releasing new music and touring that music.