Idina Menzel has spoken out about how the “interracial aspect” of her marriage to Taye Diggs ultimately influenced their divorce.
The actor, 52, opened up about her ex-husband – who she divorced in 2014 after 10 years of marriage – during an episode of Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Dinner’s on Me podcast, which aired on 17 October. According to Menzel, the reasons why her marriage with Diggs came to an end were “very complicated”. However, she specified the one thing that did affect their relationship was the challenges they experienced being in an interracial marriage.
“I mean, [we’re] very supportive of each other always, so excited for him,” she said. “The thing that came into play more, and he’s talked about it too, is the interracial aspect of it.”
Menzel recalled that she and Diggs met on Broadway, while co-starring in Rent in 1995. The Frozen actor maintained that her peers were very accepting of their romance. But when they left their Broadway “cocoon”, Menzel admitted that things ultimately changed for them.
“When you’re in the theatre, it’s just not a thing, like, we all love each other and sleep with each other, and best friends with whoever wants to be whatever sexual orientation,” she said. As Diggs went on to reach other milestones in his career as an actor in Hollywood, she noted that there were some negative responses to their interracial relationship.
“He’s on the cover of Essence and Ebony and being interviewed by all these Black journalists, and I think he had his own stuff to deal with that,” Menzel said. “It seemed like there was disappointment in the community with him because he was married to a little white, Jewish girl from some show that we don’t even remember anymore. And I took that on too.”
The singer explained that as she and Diggs “had to deal with” public reaction to their relationship, their issues soon became more about interracial challenges and “less about being successful”. Menzel added that when she was cast in her breakout role as Elphaba in Wicked, she suggested that Diggs felt a bit of relief, given the rise of his career at the time.
“He was happy and proud of me,” she said. “He was always so supportive and probably relieved. So he didn’t have to feel like he was overshadowing me in some way, or taking up too much space.”
Diggs and Menzel tied the knot in 2003 and welcomed one son, Walker, in 2009. They separated in December 2013 and finalised their divorce the next year. Since then, the Enchanted star has gone on to marry actor Aaron Lohr in 2017. While the Private Practice alum has been dating actor Apryl Jones since December 2021, there was speculation in August that the pair broke up.
Over the years, Diggs has opened up about his relationship with his ex-wife and how they’ve co-parented their son. During an appearance on People’s Every Day podcast in December 2022, he praised Menzel for running “the show” while raising Walker, regardless of her career.
“She has a career and she has her own relationships and she still makes sure that Walker is where he needs to be when he needs,” he said. “He’s got the best coaches and the best teachers, and we’re at the best schools, and it’s all because of her.”
While appearing on the Drew Barrymore Show in 2021, he also acknowledged that he loves sharing stories about himself and his ex with his son. “Rent is literally the gift that keeps on giving. I met my baby mama there, it was the beginning of my career,” he said. “I love the fact that I was there at the beginning. She made history in that show and continues to make history with her singing and whatnot, and to know that I was right there, I love sharing that with my son.”
Diggs added: “Like, ‘Daddy was there when mommy first - when the world first listened to her.’ So that’s cool as well.”
