Taylor Momsen reunites with Jim Carrey at Roll Hall 25 years after they starred in The Grinch
They appeared at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to honour Soundgarden
Last updated 10th Nov 2025
25 years after How the Grinch Stole Christmas hit cinemas, co-stars Jim Carrey and Taylor Momsen reunited on the red carpet at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony on Saturday night (8th November).
The Pretty Reckless’ Taylor Momsen starred as six-year-old Cindy Lou Who in 2000 movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Hollywood megastar Jim Carrey as the eponymous lead character, the Grinch.
A quarter of a century on, Jim Carrey and Taylor Momsen appeared at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony together at the Peacock Theater on Saturday where they were honouring Seattle rock legends Soundgarden.
"We haven't seen each other since The Grinch," Momsen said on the red carpet. "Yeah, it's been 25 years. This is insane."
She added of making The Grinch: "I just love that (Carrey) was very protective of me. He was always very kind. And just the entire experience of filming Grinch and getting to know him so well, even in all the make-up, was just wonderful."
Taylor Momsen sang Soundgarden’s ‘Rusty Cage’ with Matt Cameron, Ben Shepherd, Kim Thayil and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready at the Rock Hall ceremony.
With Brandi Carlile taking over on lead vocals, Soundgarden performed ‘Black Hole Sun’ alongside founding bassist Hiro Yamamoto, Jerry Cantrell, and Momsen on backing vocals.
Chris Cornell’s daughter, Toni, also sang Soundgarden’s ‘Fell on Black Days’ with Heart’s Nancy Wilson on guitar.
Elsewhere on the night, an all-star tribute band consisting of Joe Perry, Nancy Wilson, Bryan Adams, Chris Robinson and Mick Fleetwood performed Bad Company’s ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’ and ‘Can’t Get Enough’ alongside the band’s drummer Simon Kirke.
Paul Rodgers withdrew from attending the event last week, explaining to fans: “My hope was to be at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and to perform for the fans, but at this time I have to prioritise my health.
“I have no problem singing, it's the stress of everything else. Thank you for understanding.”
Bestowed with the honour of inducting Soundgarden, Jim Carrey said: “You may ask, ‘Why would Soundgarden—the heaviest of rock and roll royalty—want Jim Carrey to induct them into the Hall of Fame? Is there some deep, cosmic connection between us? Or was the Spoonman not available?’
“The truth is, I grew up inspired by the hard rock era. Every day, I’d spend hours in front of a floodlight in my basement, playing power chords on a goalie stick.
“When the Seattle music scene exploded, it resurrected rock and roll for me. Bands like Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and of course, Nirvana, were raw, honest and reaching for something profound.
“Soundgarden wasn’t just part of the movement — they helped start it. Guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Hiro Yamamoto and singer/drummer Chris Cornell were experimenting with a fusion of hard rock, punk, metal and psychedelia that created intricate, powerful soundscapes.
“Coupled with Chris’s incredible vocal range, their music could make your heart pound one moment and break the next. When I first heard Soundgarden, I wasn’t just excited — I wanted to put on a flannel shirt and run into the street screaming, ‘My mother smoked during pregnancy!’”
Reflecting on Chris Cornell’s death in 2017, Carrey said: “We lost a monumental musical artist and a deeply special soul. But for all time, his voice will continue to light up the ether like a Tesla coil.
“Tonight, we make sure that Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Hiro Yamamoto, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd go down as one of the most majestic, powerful and influential bands ever to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”
Bad Company and Soundgarden were immortalised in the performer’s category at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast and The White Stripes.
Salt-N-Pepa and the late Warren Zevon were the recipients of the Musical Influence Award – formerly known as the Sidemen Award – which Judas Priest received back in 2022.
26 rock bands named after movies:
Toto
Members of Toto have revealed in interviews that they took the band moniker from Dorothy's sidekick Toto the dog in The Wizard of Oz. Former bassist David Hungate said that it also reflected the Latin words "in toto" translated to "all-encompassing."
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Toto the Dog with Dorothy (Judy Garland) in 1939's The Wizard of Oz
Black Sabbath
Previously called Earth (and prior to that The Polka Tulk Blues Band), Black Sabbath named themselves after their own song 'Black Sabbath', which took its moniker from the 1963 horror anthology film of the same name starring the legendary Boris Karloff.
Black Sabbath (1963)
A poster for the 1963 Black Sabbath movie starring Boris Karloff.
Them
Northern Irish rockers Them, whose timeless anthem 'Gloria' launched Van Morrison's musical career, named themselves after the 1954 science fiction monster movie Them!
Them! (1954)
A poster for the 1954 horror movie Them!
White Zombie
In 1985, the then 20-year-old Rob Zombie – born Robert Cummings – named his band after the 1932 horror movie White Zombie starring Bela Lugosi. The highly influential movie is widely considered the first feature length zombie film, and it even inspired Cummings' stage name.
White Zombie (1932)
Bela Lugosi and a zombie in 1932's White Zombie.
Five Finger Death Punch
After watching Quentin Tarantino's 2004 martial arts classic Kill Bill: Volume 2, the Las Vegas metallers toyed with calling themselves Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique in homage to the character Pai Mei's fearsome killing technique. Although fascinated with the concept, former drummer Jeremy Spencer told Michigan Live in 2013: "That didn't sound cool. So, we changed it to Five Finger Death Punch."
Kill Bill 2 (2004)
Uma Thurman (The Bride / Beatrix Kiddo) and Gordon Liu (Pai Mei) in 2004's Kill Bill 2.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden bassist and founder Steve Harris came up with the band's name after watching the 1939 movie The Man in the Iron Mask, which featured an iron maiden torture device.
The Man in the Iron Mask (1939)
A still from the 1939 movie The Man in the Iron Mask.
Gojira
The French heavy metallers take their name from Gojira, the original Japanese name for Godzilla. The 1954 Japanese kaiju film directed by Ishirō Honda is widely regarded as a classic of cinema.
Gojira (1954)
A poster for the 1954 movie Gojira – aka Godzilla.
My Bloody Valentine
It's widely reported that the influential Irish shoegaze band are named after the 1981 Canadian slasher film My Bloody Valentine. However, MBV vocalist and guitarist Kevin Shields claims that it was only a few years after they formed that they discovered they shared their moniker with a "really crap terrible Canadian film."
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
A still from the 1981 horror movie My Bloody Valentine.
Misfits
Glenn Danzig named his highly influential horror punk band after Marilyn Monroe's final movie, 1961's The Misfits.
The Misfits (1961)
Marilyn Monroe in 1961's The Misfits.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Canadian purveyors of apocalyptic post-rock, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, are named after the 1976 Japanese documentary film God Speed You! Black Emperor, directed by Mitsuo Yanagimachi. The film follows a group of motorcyclists called the Black Emperors.
God Speed You! Black Emperor (1976)
God Speed You! Black Emperor the movie (1976)
The Searchers
The Merseybeat group took their name from the epic Western film The Searchers, starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford.
The Searchers (1956)
John Wayne in 1956's The Searchers.
Mogwai
Scottish post rockers Mogwai are named after the ultra-cute little furry creatures in classic 1984 movie Gremlins, who turn into monstrous gremlins if you feed them past midnight.
Gremlins (1984)
The cute lead Mogwai called Gizmo in Gremlins.
Mudhoney
The first of three consecutive acts named after Russ Meyer movies, Seattle grunge pioneers Mudhoney took their moniker from Meyer's 1965 movie Mudhoney.
Mudhoney (1965)
A still from Russ Meyer's 1965 movie Mudhoney
Faster Pussycat
In 1985, a good three years before Mudhoney formed, Los Angeles hard rockers derived their name from the Russ Meyer's movie Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! about three go-go dancers who embark on a kidnapping and murder spree in the California desert.
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
A still from Russ Meyer's 1965 movie Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Motorpsycho
With Mudhoney and Faster Pussycat having already taking their monikers from Russ Meyer flicks, Norwegian psych-rockers Motorpyscho named themselves in homage to Meyer's ultra-violent 1965 film Motorpsycho.
Motorpsycho (1965)
A still from Russ Meyer's 1965 movie Motorpsycho
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
San Francisco alt-rockers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are named after Marlon Brando's motorcycle club in the 1953 film The Wild One.
The Wild One (1953)
Marlon Brando and his Black Rebels Motorcycle Club in The Wild One (1953)
Atreyu
American metalcore band are named after the character Atreyu in Michael Ende's fantasy book The NeverEnding Story and its 1984 movie adaptation.
The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Atreyu in The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Bring Me The Horizon
Although not directly named after a movie or character, Bring Me The Horizon took their memorable moniker from a line spoken by Captain Jack Sparrow in the 2003 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp, says: "Now, bring me that horizon!"
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in the 2003 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Billy Talent
Canadian rockers Billy Talent took inspiration for their band name from the character Billy Talent, played by Callum Keith Rennie, in the 1996 mockumentary Hard Core Logo.
Hard Core Logo (1996)
Callum Keith Rennie (Billy Talent) in Hard Core Logo.
They Might Be Giants
Brooklyn alt-rockers They Might Be Giants are named after the 1971 comedy mystery film of the same name starring George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward.
They Might Be Giants (1971)
The poster for 1971 movie They Might Be Giants.
Eppu Normaali
One of Finland's most popular rock bands, Eppu Normaali is a Finnish translation of "Abby Normal" from Mel Brooks' 1974 comedy horror movie Young Frankenstein.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
In Mel Brooks' 1974 comedy horror movie Young Frankenstein, the character Igor (pictured) confesses he took the monster's brain from someone called "Abby Normal."
The Damned
Although the gothic rockers haven't confirmed or denied it, it's reported that guitarist Brian James named the group after the 1969 historical drama movie The Damned.
The Damned movie (1969)
A still from 1969 movie The Damned.
Fine Young Cannibals
The Birmingham pop rockers, who scored chart hits with 'She Drives Me Crazy' and 'Suspicious Minds', are named after the 1960 film All the Fine Young Cannibals starring Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood.
All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960)
Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood in All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960).
Duran Duran
Admittedly they're NOT rock (despite being 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees) but Duran Duran are named after Dr. Durand Durand, Irish actor Milo O'Shea's character from the 1968 sci-fi movie Barbarella.
Barbarella (1968)
Dr. Durand Durand in Barbarella (1968).
The Fratellis
Scottish indie-rockers The Fratellis, best known for their 2007 hit 'Chelsea Dagger', took their name from the villains in The Goonies, the criminal family Mama, Francis and Jake Fratelli.
The Goonies (1985)
Mama Fratelli (Anne Ramsey) flanked by her sons Francis (Joe Pantoliano) and Jake (Robert Davi) in 1985 movie The Goonies.
Close Enemies
In the wake of Aerosmith retiring from touring, bassist Tom Hamilton unveiled his new band Close Enemies in September 2024. He revealed the band's moniker was inspired by a Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) quote in seminal 1974 movie The Godfather Part II. "Coming up with a name for a band is a comedy of creativity," Hamilton laughed. "Every time someone had a good idea, we went on Spotify or Google and found other people who had already used it. It went on and on like this for a while. Then one day, Peter and his wife, Lynn, were watching The Godfather (Part II) and there's a line that goes: 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' Lynn suggested using Close Enemies for a band name and we all went for it."
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Al Pacino as Mafia boss Michael Corleone in 1974's The Godfather: Part II.