<P> Momsen attended the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan for high school alongside Connor Paolo, Gregori Lukas and Sarah Hyland . </P> <P> In 2000, Momsen played the role of Cindy Lou Who in Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, her breakout role . In 2002, she was given the role of Gretel in the motion picture: Hansel and Gretel, as well as Alexandra, the President's daughter, in Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams . </P> <P> Momsen's career came to a halt for over three years until she received a lead role in the WB series Misconceptions, which was never aired, after that she also appeared in the 2006 film Saving Shiloh . She also auditioned for the title role in Hannah Montana, and was in the top three, but the role was instead awarded to Miley Cyrus--a decision that Momsen was happy with in retrospect . In 2007, she starred in the Walt Disney Pictures film Underdog as Molly and as Jennifer in the movie Paranoid Park, directed by Gus Van Sant . </P> <P> Beginning in 2007, she played the character of Jenny Humphrey in The CW television series Gossip Girl, based on the book series by Cecily von Ziegesar . Momsen's appearances on the series became increasingly sporadic, and by the end of the first half of the fourth season, she had only appeared in four episodes . It was then announced that the actress would be scheduled for an indefinite hiatus from the show, which ended with her leaving the series as a regular cast member after the completion of the fourth season in 2011 . On August 16, 2011, Momsen told Elle magazine that she had quit acting to focus on her music career . On October 16, 2012, it was reported that Momsen would be returning to Gossip Girl for its final episode, in which she appeared briefly in the wedding sequence . </P>

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