Mindy Sterling in The Grinch: What Most People Get Wrong

You know that face. Even if you can’t immediately place the name Mindy Sterling, you’ve definitely heard the scream. As Frau Farbissina in the Austin Powers trilogy, she basically redefined what it meant to be a comedic henchwoman. But there is one role in her massive filmography that people always seem to stumble over.

It’s the Grinch. Or, more specifically, the 2000 live-action extravaganza How the Grinch Stole Christmas directed by Ron Howard.

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If you scroll through IMDb or catch the movie during a 24-hour holiday marathon, you’ll see her name. Yet, if you ask a casual fan who she played, they usually go blank. Did she play a backup singer? A random citizen of Whoville?

Honestly, her role is way more pivotal to the Grinch's origin story than most people remember. She wasn't just a face in the crowd. She was one of the two women who literally raised the green guy.

The Who Behind the Grinch: Meet Clarnella

Mindy Sterling played Clarnella, one of the two adoptive mothers who took in the infant Grinch after his umbrella-basket drifted off course and landed at their doorstep during a wild Whoville key party.

She shared the screen with Rachel Winfree, who played Rose. Together, they were the "biddies" (Sterling’s own word for them) tasked with raising a child who looked nothing like them.

Think about the makeup for a second. In 2000, the prosthetic work in this movie was legendary. Rick Baker won an Oscar for it. Because of those heavy facial appliances—the upturned noses, the padded cheeks, the dentures—Sterling is almost unrecognizable. You have to really look for those sharp, expressive eyes and that perfect comedic timing to realize it's her.

She’s part of that iconic, slightly heartbreaking flashback sequence. We see her and Rose trying to feed the baby Grinch "glass" (which he loves) and dealing with his early signs of holiday hatred.

Why You Might Have Missed Her

• The Prosthetics: As mentioned, the "Who" look is a total mask.
• The Energy: Unlike Frau Farbissina, who is all about volume and aggression, Clarnella is sort of a doting, slightly overwhelmed parent.
• The Ensemble: When you have Jim Carrey chewing the scenery and Christine Baranski in a massive wig, it's easy for the supporting Whos to blend into the background.

A Second Round with the Grinch (2018)

Here is a fun bit of trivia that usually wins pub quizzes: Mindy Sterling is one of the few actors to appear in both the 2000 live-action film and the 2018 animated version by Illumination.

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She didn't reprise Clarnella, obviously. In the 2018 The Grinch (the one with Benedict Cumberbatch), she provided "additional voices."

It’s a cool nod to her history with the franchise. It shows just how much casting directors value her vocal range. She can go from a shrill drill sergeant to a sweet old lady in Whoville without breaking a sweat.

Why This Role Still Matters for Sterling's Career

Back in 2000, Sterling was riding high on the success of Austin Powers. She could have easily just stuck to playing villains. Instead, she took a role that required hours in a makeup chair just to play a "Who."

In interviews from that era, she mentioned that she would have done anything to work with Ron Howard. That's the mark of a real character actress. They don't care about the screen time; they care about the project.

Sterling’s "Who" Legacy

1. Humanizing the Monster: Clarnella and Rose provide the only domestic warmth the Grinch ever knew.
2. Physical Comedy: Even under pounds of latex, Sterling’s movements convey that classic Whoville perkiness.
3. The Groundlings Connection: Like many in the cast, Sterling’s improv background helped flesh out the weird world of the Whos.

What You Can Do Now

If you’re a fan of Mindy Sterling or just a holiday movie completionist, it’s time for a rewatch with a specific goal.

• Watch the Flashback: Fast forward to the scene where the baby Grinch arrives in Whoville. Look at the two women in the nightgowns. That’s her.
• Listen for the Voice: Even with the "Who" accent, you can hear that distinct Sterling cadence.
• Check Out Her Other Roles: If you only know her from the Grinch and Austin Powers, go watch iCarly (she’s Miss Briggs) or her voice work in The Legend of Korra.

Next time How the Grinch Stole Christmas is on, you can be the person who says, "Hey, did you know that’s Frau Farbissina?" It’s a great way to appreciate a legendary character actress who helped build one of the most famous fictional towns in movie history.