In Memoriam: Taylor Momsen's Acting Career

No one wants their funeral celebrated on an inconsequential Tuesday afternoon, but Taylor Momsen's acting career will have to settle for an overheated, late-summer burial. The Gossip Girl alumna claims she's done acting and wants to focus solely on her music career. To be fair, Pretty Reckless is kind of a cool band. But to be fairer to the Movieline populace, this means we have to mourn her body of work. Join us as we recount a bunch of movies you probably didn't even know Ms. Momsen was in.

The Grinch (2000)

Yes, that was Momsen as Cindy Lou Who in the disappointing big screen adaptation of Dr. Seuss's magical tale. While the makeup and hair in this movie are nothing short of astounding, the only other noteworthy moment is Momsen's sad performance of "Where are You, Christmas," embedded below in full audio. You might say it saves the movie from being a three-decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce.

We Were Soldiers (2002)

Though now it appears her adoptive parents are Madonna and Lourdes Ciccone, in 2002 Momsen served as a daughter to Mel Gibson and Madeleine Stowe in We Were Soldiers, the tastefully executed movie chronicling the first major battle of the Vietnam War and the life of a soldier therein. If you can stand to look at Mel Gibson, you'll likely appreciate this movie.

Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002)

Momsen played the President of the United States's daughter in Spy Kids 2, and if you guessed that she'd be trapped atop an out-of-control carnival ride at the start of the movie, you're the smartest spy kid of all. Say what you will about the green-screen schlock of the movie, but Momsen's clearly the best actor in this sequence.

Paranoid Park (2007)

In Gus Van Sant's largely overlooked but lauded tale of a young skateboarder (Gabe Nevins) who accidentally kills a security guard, Momsen plays that teen's girlfriend, a well-braided cheerleader who he treats with ambivalence. She appears in the following clip at 1:20. Now you can say you know about the Taylor Momsen film that was nominated for Cannes's Palme d'Or.

Underdog (2007)

Ohhhhhh, yes. Gotta love an instantly forgettable big-screen remake of a totally outdated cartoon. In this (unfortunately blurred) clip, we watch Momsen as "Molly the news reporter" introduce her pooch Polly (voiced by Amy Adams) to the titular talking pooch. Wally Cox is rolling in his grave! Or the converted Hollywood Squares box he calls a grave!

• Taylor Momsen quits acting... [LAT]