Idina Menzel Biography
Date of Birth
30 May 1971, Syosset, New York, USA
Birth Name
Idina Kim Mentzel
Nickname
Dee
Height
5' 4" (1.63 m)
Spouse
Taye Diggs (11 January 2003 - present) 1 child
Trade Mark
Her voice
Trivia
Has a single on soundtrack of The Other Sister (1999), "Follow If You Lead".
Met husband Taye Diggs when both were starring in the original Broadway production of Rent. They later co-starred in The Wild Party (Off-Broadway) and Wicked (Broadway).
In the 5th grade, she played Dorothy in her school's production of "The Wizard of Oz."
Name is pronounced "Ih-DEE-nah men-ZELL."
Graduate of Syosset High School, Syosset, New York.
BFA in Drama - New York University, Tisch School of the Arts (1993)
Cracked a rib as a result of a fall through a trap door during a matinée show in "Wicked" on 8 January 2005, and could not perform the next day, what was to be her last performance. Her standby Shoshana Bean covered for her, but Idina made a special out-of-costume appearance and did her final song to a standing ovation before being bid farewell at the curtain call (along with Joey McIntyre who was also leaving that day).
She was named after her great grandmother, Ida, and her name is Hebrew for "gentle".
Won Broadway's 2004 Tony Award as Best Actress (Musical) for her role as Elphaba in "Wicked." She had previously been nominated as Best Actress (Featured Role - Musical) in 1996 for her portrayal of Maureen in "Rent."
Parents are Stuart and Helene Mentzel (divorced)
Sings a duet, entitled "I Will Be There", with the late Ray Charles on the album "Genius and Friends" which was released September 20th, 2005.
Her last name was originally spelled "Mentzel" but she decided to take the T out because everyone pronounced it incorrectly.
Her Rent character, Maureen, is based on Musetta from La Boheme. Two references are made to this. Roger's attempts to write a song resemble "Musetta's Waltz," which Mark directly points out. Musett'a Waltz was also the basis for "The Tango Maureen."
Oldest nephew is named Avery. He was born in 2000.
Sister, Cara, is three years younger.
Returned to work four months after giving birth to her son Walker in order to begin filming "Glee" (2009).
Gave birth to her first child at age 38, a son Walker Nathaniel Diggs on September 3, 2009. Child's father is her husband, Taye Diggs.
Personal Quotes
"It's hard to absorb and to allow all that attention and accolades for Rent because the rest of the country doesn't know who we are. Once I walk out of the door of Rent, and I'm on the subway, it doesn't matter. It's an exaggerated sense of fame." - on the international 'Rent' craze.
Things happen for a reason, and in their own time.
I feel like I was born to do this... I started working professionally as soon as I could, doing weddings and things like that in high school, while everyone else was having keg parties. I just felt destined to do it and really committed and driven; it was something that just felt right all my life.
I've been singing since I was born. It's something I do everywhere I go. In the shower, walking down the street. I don't need any impetus to do it. I just sing.
"Everyone got really close, but Taye and I especially became close friends. And then, one night, we went to the movies, and I think we saw Twister (1996), and he held my hand. And there it was!" - On her courtship with her husband, Taye Diggs, who she met through the musical "Rent".
Honestly, I remember most the look on my husband's face. The other thing I remember is when they were reading off the [nominees'] names and they read Donna [Murphy]'s name, I was smiling, and he leaned over into my ear and he said, 'If they don't read your name, the smile you have on your face now is perfect for when the camera hits you. Just keep that smile, it looks very good.' And I looked at him and I was like, 'Like this?' and he was like, 'Yeah, just keep that if you don't win.' - When asked what she remembers the most from the night she won the Tony.
Where Are They Now
(November 2003) Currently starring in "Wicked" at the Gershwin Theater in New York City.
(January 2004) Currently starring as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West on Broadway in "Wicked"!
(June 2004) Won Tony award for Best Leading Actress in A Musical for portraying Elphaba in Wicked.
(July 2004) Filming Ask the Dust (2006) with 'Colin Farrell' and Salma Hayek in South Africa.
(January 2005) Still starring in "Wicked"; her run there ending on January 9 (to be taken over by Shoshana Bean), and will then be filming "Rent", the new movie set to release at the end of 2005.
(March 2005) Filming the movie Rent (2005).
(August 2005) Performing summer concerts in and around the New England area.
(September 2005) In rehearsals for "See What I Wanna See", a musical by Michael John LaChiusa, with performances starting October 11th, 2005 and running through November 20th, 2005.
(October 2005) Starring in Michael John LaChiusa's "See What I Wanna See", a new musical Off-Broadway in New York City. The show runs through November 20th.
(December 2005) Planning her new album after signing with Warner Records earlier in the year. She is currently writing and recording songs for the album.
(January 2006) Getting ready to begin filming Disney's Enchanted (2007), where she will play Patrick Dempsey's girlfriend (the "other woman" role). The movie will also star Amy Adams, Susan Sarandon and James Marsden.
(June 2006) Will play her Tony Award-winning role of Elphaba in a London production of "Wicked."
(December 2006) On the 30th, final performance as Elphaba in the London production of "Wicked"
(January 2007) Currently working on her third album (Warner Bros.)
(July 2007) Completed album and is preparing for the launch later this year.
(June 2007) On 5th releases her single version of Defying Gravity to America and UK. This is a preview of her upcoming album.
(April 2008) Touring in the U.S to promote her new album, "I Stand."
(July 2008) Performing at Vassar Powerhouse Theater in a new musical, "Nero." Idina plays the part of Poppea. The show runs July 11 - 13, 2008.
(March 2009) Continuing her U.S. tour on the East coast.
(March 2010) According to her website Idinamenzel.com she has announced 2010 tour dates. Also has shot episodes for "Glee" (2009).
Date of Birth
30 May 1971, Syosset, New York, USA
Birth Name
Idina Kim Mentzel
Nickname
Dee
Height
5' 4" (1.63 m)
Spouse
Taye Diggs (11 January 2003 - present) 1 child
Trade Mark
Her voice
Trivia
Has a single on soundtrack of The Other Sister (1999), "Follow If You Lead".
Met husband Taye Diggs when both were starring in the original Broadway production of Rent. They later co-starred in The Wild Party (Off-Broadway) and Wicked (Broadway).
In the 5th grade, she played Dorothy in her school's production of "The Wizard of Oz."
Name is pronounced "Ih-DEE-nah men-ZELL."
Graduate of Syosset High School, Syosset, New York.
BFA in Drama - New York University, Tisch School of the Arts (1993)
Cracked a rib as a result of a fall through a trap door during a matinée show in "Wicked" on 8 January 2005, and could not perform the next day, what was to be her last performance. Her standby Shoshana Bean covered for her, but Idina made a special out-of-costume appearance and did her final song to a standing ovation before being bid farewell at the curtain call (along with Joey McIntyre who was also leaving that day).
She was named after her great grandmother, Ida, and her name is Hebrew for "gentle".
Won Broadway's 2004 Tony Award as Best Actress (Musical) for her role as Elphaba in "Wicked." She had previously been nominated as Best Actress (Featured Role - Musical) in 1996 for her portrayal of Maureen in "Rent."
Parents are Stuart and Helene Mentzel (divorced)
Sings a duet, entitled "I Will Be There", with the late Ray Charles on the album "Genius and Friends" which was released September 20th, 2005.
Her last name was originally spelled "Mentzel" but she decided to take the T out because everyone pronounced it incorrectly.
Her Rent character, Maureen, is based on Musetta from La Boheme. Two references are made to this. Roger's attempts to write a song resemble "Musetta's Waltz," which Mark directly points out. Musett'a Waltz was also the basis for "The Tango Maureen."
Oldest nephew is named Avery. He was born in 2000.
Sister, Cara, is three years younger.
Returned to work four months after giving birth to her son Walker in order to begin filming "Glee" (2009).
Gave birth to her first child at age 38, a son Walker Nathaniel Diggs on September 3, 2009. Child's father is her husband, Taye Diggs.
Personal Quotes
"It's hard to absorb and to allow all that attention and accolades for Rent because the rest of the country doesn't know who we are. Once I walk out of the door of Rent, and I'm on the subway, it doesn't matter. It's an exaggerated sense of fame." - on the international 'Rent' craze.
Things happen for a reason, and in their own time.
I feel like I was born to do this... I started working professionally as soon as I could, doing weddings and things like that in high school, while everyone else was having keg parties. I just felt destined to do it and really committed and driven; it was something that just felt right all my life.
I've been singing since I was born. It's something I do everywhere I go. In the shower, walking down the street. I don't need any impetus to do it. I just sing.
"Everyone got really close, but Taye and I especially became close friends. And then, one night, we went to the movies, and I think we saw Twister (1996), and he held my hand. And there it was!" - On her courtship with her husband, Taye Diggs, who she met through the musical "Rent".
Honestly, I remember most the look on my husband's face. The other thing I remember is when they were reading off the [nominees'] names and they read Donna [Murphy]'s name, I was smiling, and he leaned over into my ear and he said, 'If they don't read your name, the smile you have on your face now is perfect for when the camera hits you. Just keep that smile, it looks very good.' And I looked at him and I was like, 'Like this?' and he was like, 'Yeah, just keep that if you don't win.' - When asked what she remembers the most from the night she won the Tony.
Where Are They Now
(November 2003) Currently starring in "Wicked" at the Gershwin Theater in New York City.
(January 2004) Currently starring as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West on Broadway in "Wicked"!
(June 2004) Won Tony award for Best Leading Actress in A Musical for portraying Elphaba in Wicked.
(July 2004) Filming Ask the Dust (2006) with 'Colin Farrell' and Salma Hayek in South Africa.
(January 2005) Still starring in "Wicked"; her run there ending on January 9 (to be taken over by Shoshana Bean), and will then be filming "Rent", the new movie set to release at the end of 2005.
(March 2005) Filming the movie Rent (2005).
(August 2005) Performing summer concerts in and around the New England area.
(September 2005) In rehearsals for "See What I Wanna See", a musical by Michael John LaChiusa, with performances starting October 11th, 2005 and running through November 20th, 2005.
(October 2005) Starring in Michael John LaChiusa's "See What I Wanna See", a new musical Off-Broadway in New York City. The show runs through November 20th.
(December 2005) Planning her new album after signing with Warner Records earlier in the year. She is currently writing and recording songs for the album.
(January 2006) Getting ready to begin filming Disney's Enchanted (2007), where she will play Patrick Dempsey's girlfriend (the "other woman" role). The movie will also star Amy Adams, Susan Sarandon and James Marsden.
(June 2006) Will play her Tony Award-winning role of Elphaba in a London production of "Wicked."
(December 2006) On the 30th, final performance as Elphaba in the London production of "Wicked"
(January 2007) Currently working on her third album (Warner Bros.)
(July 2007) Completed album and is preparing for the launch later this year.
(June 2007) On 5th releases her single version of Defying Gravity to America and UK. This is a preview of her upcoming album.
(April 2008) Touring in the U.S to promote her new album, "I Stand."
(July 2008) Performing at Vassar Powerhouse Theater in a new musical, "Nero." Idina plays the part of Poppea. The show runs July 11 - 13, 2008.
(March 2009) Continuing her U.S. tour on the East coast.
(March 2010) According to her website Idinamenzel.com she has announced 2010 tour dates. Also has shot episodes for "Glee" (2009).
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel
Red Carpet: Idina Menzel (2010)
Matt Yee And Idina Menzel Fun Impromptu Performance
Idina Menzel - Poker Face
Idina Menzel LIVE At The Civic Center
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