Idina Menzel

Born in Queens, New York in 1971, Idina Menzel is now best known for originating the Broadway roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.
Menzel spent much of her teenage and early adult years working as a wedding and bar mitzvah singer. She earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Drama at NYU and in 1995, auditioned for Rent. Menzel received a Tony Award nomination for her role as Maureen Johnson.
Following her success in Rent, Menzel released her first solo album, Still I Can't Be Still on Hollywood Records. In 2000, Menzel earned a Drama Desk Award for her performance as Kate in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party.
In 2003, Menzel starred alongside Kristin Chenoweth on Broadway in Wicked. For her role as Elphaba, Menzel received the 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. Menzel reprised her role as Elphaba for the opening of the West End production of Wicked, she stayed with the production for three months, during which time she was the highest paid female performer in the West End, earning $30,000 per week.
In May 2008, Menzel played the role of Florence in the 21st Anniversary concert of Chess at the Royal Albert Hall alongside Kerry Ellis, Adam Pascal and Josh Groban

Menzel's film roles include appearances in Just a Kiss, Kissing Jessica Stein, The Tollbooth, Water, Ask The Dust, Enchanted, and Rent.

Menzel has a recurring guest star role in the television series Glee, playing Shelby Corcoran, the coach of the rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline and Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) biological mother.

Menzel is married to actor Taye Diggs, who she met when they were both in Rent. They have a son, Walker Nathaniel Diggs, born in 2009.

What members say | Filmography

Idina Menzel - what members say

Chess - In Concert review by Maria211081 from Thirsk

Much more than just a concert production 7 January 2010
...performances are extremely good and if you're a fan of Wicked, getting to watch Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis sing 'I Know Him So Well' is a real treat. Josh Groban is also... Read customer review

Idina Menzel - filmography

Chess - In Concert on DVD (2008)
Starring: Marti Pellow, Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal
Certificate:
Josh Groban and Idina Menzel (WICKED) star in this engaging live performance of CHESS, a 1984 concept album from ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, and lyricist Tim Rice. Filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in 2008, the innovative production features the London Philharmonic Orchestra as well as ..read more »

72% from 481 members

Ask The Dust on DVD (2006)
Starring: Colin Farrell, Salma Hayek, Donald Sutherland
Director: Robert Towne
Certificate:
In the Robert Towne-directed adaptation of John Fante's Depression Era novel, Hayek plays the fiery Mexican beauty Camilla who hopes to rise above her station by marrying a wealthy American. This is complicated by meeting Arturo Bandini (Farrell), a first-generation Italian hoping to land a writing ..read more »

49% from 1,678 member

Rent - Blu-ray (2005)
Starring: Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia
Director: Chris Columbus
Certificate:
Based on Puccini’s classic opera La Boheme, Jonathon Larson’s revolutionary rock opera Rent tells the story of a group of bohemians struggling to live and pay their rent in the gritty background of New York’s East Village. “Measuring their lives in love,” these starving artists strive for success ..read more »

59% from 355 members

Rent on DVD (2005)
Starring: Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia
Director: Chris Columbus
Certificate:
Based on Puccini's classic opera La Boheme, Jonathon Larson's revolutionary rock opera Rent tells the story of a group of bohemians struggling to live and pay their rent in the gritty background of New York's East Village. "Measuring their lives in love," these starving artists strive for success ..read more »

63% from 3,498 members

Idina Menzel facts

5 most recent films

Chess - In Concert - 3.5 stars
Ask The Dust - 2.5 stars
Rent - Blu-ray - 3.0 stars
Rent - 3.0 stars

5 highest-rated films

Chess - In Concert - 3.5 stars
Rent - 3.0 stars
Rent - Blu-ray - 3.0 stars
Ask The Dust - 2.5 stars

5 lowest-rated films

Ask The Dust - 2.5 stars
Rent - Blu-ray - 3.0 stars
Rent - 3.0 stars
Chess - In Concert - 3.5 stars

Most frequent co-stars

Adam Pascal - 4 times - show films
Taye Diggs - 2 times - show films
Josh Groban - 2 times - show films
Rosario Dawson - 2 times - show films
Tracie Thoms - 2 times - show films

Most frequent directors

Chris Columbus - 2 times - show films
Robert Towne - 1 times - show films
Hugh Wooldridge - 1 times - show films
none - 1 times - show films

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