Taye Diggs’ Ex-Wife Says Black People Were Disappointed He Married A ‘Little White Jewish Girl’

Broadway star and ex-wife of Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel, says the “interracial aspect” of the pair’s relationship was a big contributor to their 2013 divorce, USA Today reports.

In an interview on the Dinner’s On Me podcast, the actress detailed the struggle she and Diggs endured as his prominence as a Black leading man began to grow.

”[Taye] was on the cover of Essence and Ebony, and being interviewed by all of these Black journalists, and I think he had his own stuff to deal with, with that,” Menzel, 52, said. “And it seemed like there was some disappointment in the community with him, because he was married to a little white Jewish girl.”

The pair met as actors in the groundbreaking and controversial Broadway play Rent in 1995, a show that would make both Menzel and Diggs respected and in-demand performers. However, the acceptance of the fine arts community was not the same in the world at large, according to Menzel.

“So, I took that on, too. That was stuff we had to deal with,” she added. “It was less about being successful and more about that stuff.” Diggs and Menzel were married in 2003. She gave birth to their first son, Walker, in 2009.

The pair did go in separate directions career-wise. Diggs carved out an impressive filmography while Menzel remained true to her Broadway roots and provided the voice of Queen Elsa in the massively popular Frozen movies. “He was always so supportive and probably relieved so he didn’t have to feel like he was overshadowing in some way or taking up too much space,” Menzel said.

Currently, Diggs is dating reality TV star Apryl Jones, with whom he regularly makes social media content. Menzel remarried in 2017 to actor Aaron Lohr.