Idina Menzel Reflects on 'Really Hard' Divorce Amid 'Frozen' Success
The actress shared details about the challenging period of her separation from Taye Diggs as her career reached new heights with the Disney film.
Idina Menzel has opened up about the "really hard" period surrounding her divorce from actor Taye Diggs, which coincided with the meteoric rise of her career following "Frozen." Speaking at a New York Comic Con panel, Menzel described the separation as a "very complicated" time.
The couple, who divorced in 2013 after a decade of marriage, faced personal upheaval as Menzel's role as Elsa in the 2014 Disney animated film "Frozen" gained widespread attention. "We were separating and it was really hard," Menzel shared, as reported by People. "And then 'Frozen' was coming up just as Taye — we were breaking up."
Menzel recalled the ubiquitous nature of her song "Let It Go" from the "Frozen" soundtrack, joking about its impact on Diggs. "The poor guy," she quipped. "It was 'Let It Go.' He's in a mall and he's like, 'F–k this! It's everywhere, 'Let It Go, Let It Go.' Like, 'I can't let it go!'"
Despite the personal challenges, Menzel found that her involvement in "Frozen" was ultimately beneficial, stating that the film "saved" her during the emotional turmoil. "It was filling my heart with joy and love and forgiveness and all of that stuff," she said. "And also being able to show my son this wonderful film."
Menzel and Diggs first met in the mid-1990s while starring in the original Broadway production of "Rent" and later co-starred in the 2005 film adaptation. They married in 2003 and welcomed their son, Walker, in 2009.
In a joint statement announcing their separation in December 2013, their representatives stated, "Their primary focus and concern is for their son. We ask that you respect their privacy during this time."
Menzel previously reflected on the "turbulent" years following "Frozen's" success, noting the contrast between her soaring career and the difficulties in her personal life. "So I had these sort of two dueling sides in my life and it just gave me a great place to go in the studio and work from," she said in 2016.
Since their divorce, Menzel and Diggs have maintained an amicable co-parenting relationship. Diggs spoke in 2022 about Menzel's dedication to their son's well-being, stating, "He's got the best coaches and the best teachers, and we're at the best schools, and it's all because of her."
Menzel married her "Rent" co-star Aaron Lohr in 2017. Diggs was last romantically linked to singer Apryl Jones from 2021 to 2023.