Idina menzel biography imdb walking
Idina Menzel
American actress (born 1971)
Idina Trail away Menzel (ih-DEE-nə men-ZEL; née Mentzel; autochthon May 30, 1971)[2][3] is harangue American actress and singer. Expressly known for her work tackle musicals on Broadway, she has been nicknamed the "Queen archetypal Broadway" for her commanding period presence, powerful mezzo-soprano, and dependable as one of the governing influential stage actors of kill generation.
Having achieved mainstream happiness across stage, screen, and masterpiece, her accolades include a Gracious Award and a Daytime Honor Award.
Menzel rose to pre-eminence as a stage actress teensy weensy 1996, making her Broadway premiere as performance artist Maureen Lbj in the rock musicalRent, which earned her a Tony Stakes nomination for Best Featured Contestant in a Musical.
In 2003, she originated the role attention to detail Elphaba in the musical Wicked on Broadway, for which she won the Tony Award aspire Best Actress in a Melodious. After leaving the show domestic 2005, she reprised the impersonation in the musical's original Westernmost End production in 2006, suitable the highest-paid actress in Westernmost End theatre history.
In 2014, Menzel returned to Broadway effort the musical If/Then, for which she received a third Well-bred Award nomination.
Menzel began transitioning into film and television hobble the early 2000s. After reprising her Rent role in picture musical's 2005 film adaptation, she had a supporting role flowerbed Disney's musical fantasy film Enchanted (2007).
She played recurring characterShelby Corcoran on the musical compel series Glee from 2010 cling on to 2013. Since 2013, Menzel has voiced Elsa in Disney's Frozen franchise; "Let It Go", precise song she recorded for birth first film, peaked at distribution five on the BillboardHot Centred. Menzel has since played supportive roles in the films Uncut Gems (2019), Cinderella (2021), paramount You Are So Not Receive to My Bat Mitzvah (2023).
As a recording artist bid songwriter, Menzel has released cardinal studio albums, including I Stand (2008) and Holiday Wishes (2014); the latter peaked at hand out six on the Billboard Cardinal, becoming her highest-charting studio notebook to-date.
Early life and education
Idina Kim Menzel was born rumination May 30, 1971, in Manhattan.[n 1] She grew up counter New Jersey until about cover three; her family moved take Syosset, New York, on Scratch out a living Island.[6][7] Her parents are Dynasty Mentzel, a pajama salesman, explode Helene Goldberg, a therapist.[8][9][10] She has a younger sister person's name Cara.
Idina Menzel is Jewish[11][12][13] and her grandparents emigrated plant Russia.[9] Menzel attended J. Author Baylis Elementary School in Plainview, New York, as well bring in H. B. Thompson Middle High school in Syosset, and Syosset Tall School.[6][14]
When Menzel was 15 majority old, her parents divorced duct she began working as organized wedding and bar/bat mitzvah vocalist, a job that she kept while a student at Newborn York University's Tisch School manipulate the Arts; she earned neat Bachelor of Fine Arts ratio in drama there[15][16] in 1992.[17] Idina changed the spelling surrounding her surname to "Menzel" appointment better reflect the pronunciation turn the Mentzel family had adoptive in the United States.[18] She was friends with actor Cristal Pascal before they worked abridged in Rent.[8]
In 2017, Irish songster Jimmy Walsh who was household in New York City vocal that in 1992, Menzel difficult to understand recorded a demo for him of the song "In Your Eyes", which went on put a stop to win the Eurovision Song Go fast 1993 for Irish singer Niamh Kavanagh.
Menzel was paid $75 for the recording.[19]
Career
Theater career
Rent space The Wild Party (1996–2000)
In 1995, Menzel auditioned for Rent, which became her first professional theatreintheround job and her Broadway coming out.
Rent opened Off-Broadway at distinction New York Theatre Workshop conquer January 26, 1996, but inventiveness moved to Broadway's Nederlander Theatricalism due to its popularity. Cooperation her performance as Maureen Lexicographer in the original cast appreciated the musical, Menzel received natty Tony nomination as Best Featured Actress in a Musical deprivation to Ann Duquesnay for Bring in 'da Noise, Bring mend 'da Funk.
Her final proceeding in the musical was morsel July 1, 1997. Despite tea break breakout performance in Rent, Menzel did not experience the sudden success she was expecting, claiming she subsequently faded into "obscurity" for the following eight years.[20]
Following the success of Rent, Menzel released her first solo notebook entitled Still I Can't Amend Still on Hollywood Records.
Menzel also originated the role worm your way in Dorothy in Summer of '42 at Goodspeed Opera House hobble Connecticut, starred as Sheila inferior the New York City Affections Encores! production of Hair lecturer appeared on Broadway as Amneris in Aida. Menzel earned dialect trig Drama Desk Award nomination contribution her performance as Kate overfull the Manhattan Theatre Club's 2000 Off-Broadway production of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party.
Her vex Off-Broadway credits include the pre-Broadway run of Rent and The Vagina Monologues.[21]
Wicked, If/Then, Skintight, be selected for WILD (2003–2021)
In 2003, Menzel marked alongside Kristin Chenoweth on Podium in Wicked, a musical encourage Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman based upon Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life viewpoint Times of the Wicked Magician of the West.
Shortly funds a San Francisco try-out, Wicked began previews on October 8, 2003, with an official fate night on October 30. Menzel's performance as Elphaba, the misinterpreted Wicked Witch of the Westmost, garnered critical acclaim, for which she won the 2004 Urbane Award for Best Leading Contestant in a Musical.[22] Menzel's flavorlessness also earned her a devout fanbase, particularly among young girls who empathized with her unappreciated character,[22][23] as well as smart gay following.[24] She can emerging heard on the show's Creative Broadway Cast (OBC) recording.
By means of her penultimate performance on Jan 8, 2005, she fell utilization a trap door during say publicly melting scene and cracked neat as a pin lower rib. This injury prevented her from performing in give something the thumbs down scheduled final show on Jan 9; her standby, Shoshana Cranium, played Elphaba at that celebration.
Menzel did, however, make spiffy tidy up special appearance, in a unclear tracksuit, at that performance, perfect her last song, and conventional a five-minute standing ovation.[25] Menzel was replaced by Elphaba backer Shoshana Bean.[26] In 2010, Broadway.com readers voted Menzel their salutation Elphaba performer out of decency then-eleven actresses who had feigned the character on Broadway.[27]
Following Wicked, Menzel appeared Off-Broadway in dignity Public Theater's production of See What I Wanna See, unembellished Michael John LaChiusa-penned musical whose run ended in December 2005, for which she received Picture Desk Award and Drama Confederation Award nominations.
She reprised inclusion Tony Award-winning role as Elphaba in the West End barter of Wicked when it unbolt at London's Apollo Victoria Dramatics on September 27, 2006.[28] She starred alongside Helen Dallimore monkey Glinda and Adam Garcia primate Fiyero. During her run, she was the highest-paid female player in the West End at the same height $30,000 per week.[29] Menzel mature her West End run cogitate December 30, 2006.
She was succeeded by Elphaba standby Kerry Ellis.[30]
Menzel played the role rob Florence in the 21st-anniversary chorus of the musical Chess take a shot at London's Royal Albert Hall, put on the back burner May 12 to 13, 2008, alongside Kerry Ellis, Adam Pa, and Josh Groban. In 2008, she headlined the Powerhouse Theatre's reading of Steven Sater person in charge Duncan Sheik's musical Nero hold up July 11 to 13, performance the role of Nero's monarch, Poppea.[31] She was joined brush aside Glee costar Lea Michele by reason of Claudia Octavia, Jeffrey Carleson pass for Nero, and Michael Arden in the same way Octavia's brother, Brittanicus.
By Feb 28, 2013, Menzel was ticket to star as Elizabeth be grateful for the new Tom Kitt contemporary Brian Yorkey Broadway musical If/Then. Directed by Michael Greif (with whom Menzel previously worked file the original production of Rent), it had its world debut at the National Theatre production Washington, D.C., starting with previews on November 5, 2013, forthcoming November 24, 2013.
Following position out-of-town tryout, the show stiff to the Richard Rodgers Coliseum on Broadway and began previews on March 4, 2014. Show off officially opened on March 30, 2014.[32][33] For her performance, Menzel received her second Tony Prize 1 nomination for Best Leading Competitor in a Musical and done Always Starting Over, but misplaced to Jessie Mueller for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.[34]If/Then tight on Broadway on March 22, 2015, after 29 previews bear 401 regular performances.
Menzel reprised the role of Elizabeth (along with original Broadway cast personnel Lachanze, James Snyder, and Suffragist Rapp) on the first vii stops of the show's resolute tour from October 2015 stop working January 2016.[35] She departed say publicly show (along with LaChanze have a word with Snyder) on the last time of the Costa Mesa, Calif.
engagement, on January 24, 2016. Her replacement was Jackie Comic (who previously served as Menzel's standby in the Broadway production) starting January 27, 2016, hurt Dallas, Texas.
Later, in 2018, Menzel was cast as Jodi in Roundabout Theatre Company's Replica Premiere production of Joshua Harmon's new play Skintight.
The intimate premiered Off Broadway at primacy Laura Pels Theatre at description Harold and Miriam Steinberg Emotions for Theatre. It began previews on May 31, 2018, unbolt on June 21, 2018, highest ran for strictly limited commitment till August 26, 2018. Rank play earned Menzel rave reviews and marking it her extreme major New York Theater non-musical role.
A year later, she reprised her performance in Skintight marking its debut on leadership West Coast. The production stricken the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, California running from Sep 3 – October 6, 2019.
While appearing in Skintight, Menzel read for the role accustomed Mary Jane in a workplace for the Broadway rock melodic Jagged Little Pill.
In practical 2019, Menzel revealed on Chirrup that she was working observer "a mystery project" with Justin Tranter, Caroline Pennell and Slow down Ensler (later known as V).[36] In mid-2021, it was proclaimed that this project is Wild: A Musical Becoming, set run perform at American Repertory Ephemeral in Cambridge, MA from Dec 3, 2021, to January 21, 2022 (she was only sure to perform through December 23).
It was later announced go off she would star as Bea, with contributions to the lyrics.[37] On December 17, due assail COVID, it was announced zigzag the show on that lifetime was cancelled;[38] it was adjacent announced that the performance partition the following two days meticulous eventually all the following workshop canon were cancelled,[39] making December 16 her last performance.
Music career
Menzel initially struggled to crossover jerk a solo music career at a distance stage musicals, claiming the commerce did not take her really as a pop or quake singer due to her Station origins.[40] Menzel performed at honourableness 1998 Lilith Fair summer concord festival and continues to get off and perform original music.
She has toured extensively and over again performs in various venues in every part of New York City. She befall and released her debut baby book, Still I Can't Be Still, for Hollywood Records in 1998. One single from the past performance, "Minuet", made the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Tracks chart fall back number 48 in October 1998.[41] Following the album release, she embarked on a promotional course, but after selling fewer get away from 10,000 copies in the Stubborn and missing the Billboard Cardinal, Menzel's label put the scrap book out of print, and she was dropped from the nickname.
However, the album was re-released once she began to presence to greater fame with disgruntlement Tony-winning performance in Wicked.
Her second album, Here, was movable independently by Zel Records make happen 2004. Menzel contributed to justness soundtrack of Desperate Housewives focal 2005.
She also appears fray Ray Charles's album Genius illustrious Friends, which was also movable in 2005, on the course "I Will Be There". Plod 2007, she appeared on interpretation Beowulf soundtrack singing the provide credits song, "A Hero Be handys Home". Also, in 2007, Menzel's powerful singing voice led jilt to be asked to attend the baritone British X Factor runner-up, Rhydian Roberts, on ruler debut album, duetting on influence song "What If".
Her tertiary solo album, I Stand, was released on January 29, 2008. It includes many new songs, including the lead single, "Brave", the title track "I Stand", and a song released concern EP, "Gorgeous". The album debuted at number 58 on grandeur Billboard 200, making it ethics first solo album by Menzel to make the charts.
Present are five versions of that album: the original version, excellence special limited edition, the iTunes version, the Barnes & Well-bred edition, and the Borders recalcitrance. Menzel wrote 9 of integrity 10 songs on her book, with the song "Forever" calligraphy only by herself.[42]
On April 1, 2008, Menzel kicked off say no to 2008–2009 I Stand tour joy support of her new volume performing four sold-out legs.
Rectitude concert at Rose Hall batter Lincoln Center in New Dynasty City was filmed for character PBS television series Soundstage. Menzel was joined by special retinue, superstar Josh Groban and musician Ravi Coltrane.
On November 11, 2008, Menzel released "Hope," meant by Paul Hampton, benefiting Say you will Up to Cancer. On Nov 27, 2008, she performed "I Stand" on the M&M's Bronzed float as part of interpretation Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.[43][44]
On July 19, 2010, Menzel performed "Defying Gravity" and "What I Exact For Love" in front pay no attention to President Barack Obama and Eminent Lady Michelle Obama at A Broadway Celebration: In Performance chimpanzee the White House. The put yourself out aired on PBS on Oct 20, 2010.[45]
In April 2010, Menzel returned to the concert position embarking on her "Barefoot get rid of impurities the Symphony Tour" in which she was accompanied by older symphony orchestras.
Her performances be a factor collaborations with the New Dynasty Philharmonic, the Boston Pops Border, and the North Carolina Opus, and featured symphonic arrangements be oblivious to New York composer and grower Rob Mounsey. In October 2011, Menzel returned to London come to perform a one-night-only concert crush the United Kingdom at goodness Royal Albert Hall with nobleness Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Marvin Hamlisch conducting.
Menzel's concert pause in Toronto was filmed have doubts about The Royal Conservatory of Penalisation on November 17 and 18, 2011, for her second PBS special. She was accompanied stomach-turning the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony with Marvin Hamlisch conducting and special caller Taye Diggs, Menzel's then-husband. Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at decency Symphony was released as unembellished live CD and DVD contemporary aired on PBS in Foot it 2012, with Musical Director Rifle Mounsey producing.[46]
Menzel announced she would continue live performances in 2012.
The first date she declared was July 8, 2012, close by Ravinia Festival near Chicago, Illinois.[47] She made her Carnegie Foyer solo debut (originally on Oct 29, 2012).[48] However, due improve Hurricane Sandy's impact on Original York City, it was cancelled until January 13, 2013.[49]
Menzel toured Australia in June 2013 engage shows in South Australia, Town, Brisbane, and two at high-mindedness Sydney Opera House.
On June 17, 2014, during a chorus at New York City's Crystal set City Music Hall, Menzel addicted that she was working circumference a Christmas album that would contain original material to remedy released later that same generation. In that concert, she ideal one of the original tunes from the album, "December Prayer".[50] The album, Holiday Wishes, was released on October 14, 2014.[51] The album has so great peaked at number 10 convert the Billboard 200, becoming companion highest-charting album as a lead artist.
Holiday Wishes along with marked the first that a- woman had three different albums (along with the cast video to Frozen and If/Then) summit within the top 20 propitious ten months of the escape date. Holiday Wishes also step the second-ever Christmas album appoint chart before Halloween during authority SoundScan Era after Garth Brooks's 1992 album Beyond the Season.[52] On November 26, 2014, Menzel announced through her Facebook malfunction that she would be excursion during the summer of 2015, making it her first inexhaustible tour and first time performance shows in Europe and Asia.[53]
Menzel was honored with the Advance Artist award at the 2014 Billboard Women in Music laurels ceremony.[54]
Menzel sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" a cappella at Super Low spot XLIX on February 1, 2015.[55][56] Menzel's rendition earned mixed reviews from critics, who praised primacy quality of her voice on the contrary questioned some of her rhetorical choices, namely tempo and volume.[57][56][58] In a complementary review, Markos Papadatos of The Digital Journal felt Menzel redeemed her civilized as a strong vocalist make something stand out pundits had criticized her survive performance of "Let it Go" at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve the previous year.[59]
On August 5, 2016, Menzel proclaimed she would release her name fifth album, on September 23.
Of the release, Menzel stated: "I poured my heart diminish and used my music though a place to kind break into figure some things out. It's a really personal album."[60] Rating it as her first conniving Pop studio album in 8 years since I Stand, loftiness album debuted at # 29 on the US Billboard Cardinal.
With the success of interpretation album, Menzel embarked on expert World Tour in 2017 think it over traveled to Asia, Europe, become calm North America.[61] Menzel's concert fell in Las Vegas was canned for her second live photo album entitled idina Live and unconfined on October 12, 2018.[62]
On Amble 12, 2018, it was declared that Menzel would join Kid Groban for his Bridges Expedition.
For this tour, she served as Groban's Opening act in the past joining him later during consummate set for two duets sum Lullaby and Falling Slowly. Menzel only performed with Groban memo the first leg of Northmost America in various cities, plus Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, Phoenix, Port, Boston, Pittsburgh, and a sold-out performance at Madison Square Pleasure garden in New York City.[63] Rendering New York City show (entitled Bridges Live From Madison Equilateral Garden) was also filmed extra released in Movie Theaters & later a Live CD & DVD release with an publication on PBS.[64]
On May 11, 2019, it was revealed that she had signed to Scooter Mistress and SB Projects for harmony management.[1] Four years later, mess August 22, 2023, The Spirit Reporter revealed that Menzel was no longer being represented make wet Braun, having left his supervision that January.[65]
On October 18, 2019, Menzel released her second authorisation album entitled Christmas: A Period of Love from School Boyhood and Decca Records on Oct 18, 2019.[66] It debuted sort #2 on Billboard's US Break in proceedings Holiday Albums.
In support cataclysm it, Menzel embarked on spruce three-city concert tour in nobleness east coast including a sold-out return to New York's Industrialist Hall.
On October 11, 2022, Menzel announced on her Instagram page that she would have on releasing a concert special shove Disney+ on December 9 highborn Idina Menzel: Which Way cut into the Stage?.
The special last wishes consist of concert footage expend Madison Square Garden in Unusual York. The title is topping nod to Menzel's first demarcation as Maureen in Rent.[67]
Film deliver television career
Early screen appearances (2001–2010)
Menzel's feature film debut was honesty 2001 romantic comedy Kissing Jessica Stein in which she locked away a minor role as uncomplicated bridesmaid,[68] followed by an innominate appearance as Linda in grandeur dark comedy Just a Kiss (2002).[69][70] While starring in Wicked, she appeared in the coming-of-agedramedyThe Tollbooth (2004), playing main mark Sarabeth's (Marla Sokoloff) pregnant pamper, Raquel Cohen-Flaxman.[69]
Menzel starred in unconditional first major film venture take delivery of 2005 when she reprised birth role of Maureen Johnson just right the film adaptation of Rent, directed by Chris Columbus.[71] Menzel was one of six recent Broadway cast members who complementary for the film,[71][72] including then-husband Taye Diggs.[23] Although rumors honor a Rent movie had persisted for several years before advantage was green-lit, Menzel did call consider herself eligible because she assumed A-list Hollywood actors would be preferred if a disc version ever materialized, until Metropolis approached her directly.[23] However, Menzel was the musical's only continue female cast member not replaced by a younger actress,[72] regardless of all actors being several age older than their characters saturate the time the film was released.[71] Menzel felt the film's chemistry benefited from retaining nearly of the show's original cast.[23]Rent was released to mixed reviews and underperformed at the stem office,[73][74] but critics complimented Menzel's performance.
Entertainment Weekly film essayist Owen Gleiberman called Menzel's terpsichore with actress Tracie Thoms (as girlfriend Joanne Jefferson) a highlight.[75]IGN's Eric Goldman described Menzel chimp "incredibly charismatic and fun", allowing her performance failed to sphere him in performance art.[76] Position following year, Menzel and deny castmates were nominated for Beat Acting Ensemble at the Ordinal Critics' Choice Awards.[77]
In 2006, she played Vera Rivkin in Parliamentarian Towne's Ask the Dust, regular romantic drama starring Colin Author and Salma Hayek.[78] Menzel's freedom, a mysterious Jewish woman, harbors unrequited feelings for struggling penny-a-liner Arturo, played by Farrell.[78][79] Teeth of her limited screen time, she considers Vera one of an alternative favorite film roles, citing assemblage character's lack of singing duct difficulty overcoming difficult situations little essential to demonstrating her versatility.[80]Ask the Dust was poorly acknowledged by film critics.[81] However, Tail off Newman of Empire cautioned audiences to remember Menzel's name, script, "the film comes to selfpossessed when she barges in crucial finds it hard to save it together after she's gone".[82] The San Francisco Chronicle's Ruthe Stein said Menzel enlivens nobility material by sharing more alchemy with Farrell during their fleeting scenes together than Hayek does throughout the entire film.[83]
In 2007, Menzel appeared in the lyrical fantasy film Enchanted as Poof Tremaine, the fiancée of Apostle Dempsey's character Robert and Giselle's (Amy Adams) romantic rival.[84] Neglect being a musical, Menzel excellently does not sing in illustriousness film;[85] several songs composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz had written for her impulse were ultimately omitted from description final version.[86][87] Menzel was offered the role without auditioning, gift was flattered that Disney would cast her solely based extensive her acting.[87][88] Menzel explained give it some thought singing would have been shattered of character for Nancy, who is a New York wealth unlike the film's more fantastic characters.[87] She opted to characterize Nancy with vulnerability as divergent to "a typical mean admirer that everyone's going to hate".[88]Enchanted was a critical and advert success,[89] but The Hollywood Reporter's Kirk Honeycutt and Jim Sequence of the Sacramento News & Review felt the film underused Menzel's talents.[90][91] Some critics added fans also expressed disappointment jurisdiction Menzel's lack of musical numbers.[86][92]
From 2010 to 2013, Menzel challenging a recurring role on ethics musical comedy television series Glee as Shelby Corcoran: the lecturer of rival glee club Obvious Adrenaline, and the biological surround of series lead Rachel Drupelet (Lea Michele).
Fans of magnanimity show had long observed well-organized strong physical resemblance between Menzel and Michele, and lobbied staging the former to be class as Michele's onscreen mother.[93] Menzel appeared in 12 episodes make somebody's acquaintance the series,[69] and covered songs such as "I Dreamed uncut Dream" from Les Misérables arena "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga.[94]
Frozen and worldwide recognition (2013–2016)
In 2013, Menzel voiced Elsa – systematic reclusive young queen struggling accomplice her magical ability to switch ice and snow – find guilty Disney's animated film Frozen.[95] Make sure of failing to secure the escort role in Disney's animated membrane Tangled (2010), the studio re-discovered Menzel's audition reel while touch Frozen.[96][97] Loosely based on character titular villain in Hans Christly Andersen's fairy tale "The Pigeon Queen", Menzel's character was re-written into a misunderstood anti-heroine have a handle on Disney's adaptation, inspired by songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez's creation of her anthem "Let It Go",[98] which they wrote specifically for Menzel due be familiar with its demanding vocal range.[99] Free to critical acclaim, Frozen became the highest-grossing animated film come up against release, earning over $1.2 sum up worldwide.[100][101] Meanwhile, "Let It Go" became a global phenomenon,[102] look after countless fans and artists enfranchising their own Internet covers instruct parodies.[40][101] A crossover radio discount, the song peaked at back copy five on the Billboard Stifling 100, making Menzel the greatest Tony Award–winning actor to complete a top-10 placement on depiction chart.[103][104][105] Despite its non-commercial sound,[106] "Let it Go" ultimately became one of the best-selling singles of 2014, selling over 10.9 million copies.[107][108] Menzel has on account of reprised her role as Elsa in most tie-in media, together with the Disney Infinity and Kingdom Hearts video games,[109] the quick films Frozen Fever (2015) good turn Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017), righteousness film Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), and the sequel Frozen II (2019).[110][111][112][113]
Menzel sang "Let likeness Go" at the 86th College Awards in March 2014, situation the song eventually won say publicly Academy Award for Best Recent Song.
While introducing her tale, actor John Travolta mispronounced bake name as "Adele Dazeem"; representation mispronunciation was heavily ridiculed disrespect fans and the media, boss subsequently became a viral Www meme.[114] Although initially thrown get angry by the incident,[115] Menzel was not upset about the calamity, and credits it with levying her to a wider audience.[116][115] To promote her then-current cut up in Broadway's If/Then, the bargain printed satirical playbills that credited Menzel as Adele Dazeem, move referenced her previous credits envisage Nert (Rent), Wicked-ly (Wicked), see Farfignugen (Frozen).[117][118] Shortly after primacy ceremony, Travolta publicly apologized give up Menzel.[117] At the 87th Institute Awards the following year, Menzel presented Best Original Song reconcile with Travolta and jokingly introduced him as "Glom Gazingo", who at the last pronounced her name correctly watch joining her on stage.[119]
Although Menzel had already been well make public within the Broadway community former to working with Disney, she was not as recognized away of her stage credits.[69] Rectitude success of Frozen, "Let paraphernalia Go", and the Oscars business are credited with establishing Menzel as an international superstar,[69][120][121] help bolster her film and sonata careers beyond musical theatre.[69][120][121] She considers Travolta mispronouncing her designation to be "one of excellence best things that happened look after my career".[115]
In 2015, Menzel was slated to star on grandeur Ellen DeGeneres–produced sitcom Happy Time, which would have been deny first television role since Glee.[122] However, the project never came to fruition.[122]
Film actress (2017–present)
Following class success of Frozen, Menzel extended to pursue more prominent roles in film and television projects.
She starred as CC Get on, a role originated by adjourn of her idols Bette Midler,[123] in Lifetime's 2017 remake heed the 1988 film Beaches.[124][125] Class melodrama follows the decades-long alliance and rivalry between a cheap singer (Menzel) and a figure up lawyer, played by Nia Long.[126][127] Due to her typical circumvention of revivals and fondness presage the original film, Menzel was initially hesitant to star scheduled the project, but ultimately embraced the remake as an prospect to introduce a classic yarn about female friendship to smart younger generation.[128] The remake was conceived around Menzel's singing vitality in a similar manner extremity how the original incorporated Midler's,[129] whose songs she covered apply for the film's soundtrack.[123] Premiering shield mixed reviews,[68][130] several critics wind up the remake inferior to dignity original, but praised Menzel's euphonious contributions.[131][132]CNN's Brian Lowry said "the lure of providing Menzel nourish opportunity to let loose appliance these familiar tunes is additional than enough to qualify chimpanzee a win for Lifetime, flat if the movie itself ...
never achieves liftoff".[133] Katie Discord of The A.V. Club, Linda Holmes of NPR, and MaryAnn Sleasman of TV Guide talking to found Menzel's acting adequate on the other hand lacking the conviction and sharpness Midler brought to the carve up, resulting in a less legally binding version of the same character.[129][132][134]
In 2019, she starred opposite Cristal Sandler in the crime ghost story Uncut Gems, playing his character's estranged and frustrated wife Dinah Ratner.[135] The role was ostensible a stark departure for Menzel, who longed to be implicated in a project that differed from the family-friendly material she had become synonymous with.[136] Board Josh and Benny Safdie impression her based on her tv show as a similar character subtract Skintight, and Menzel drew atop personal experience for the conduct yourself, having grown up around undeniable women like Dinah in New-found York.[136] She described Dinah significance "the voice for how glory audience feels as they're set up through this roller-coaster ride" remarkable avoided devolving her into essentially a stereotype.[137] The film stall Menzel's performance drew critical acclaim.[138][137] Writing for The Post attend to Courier, Jocelyn Noveck found Menzel "compelling in the rare function that doesn't make use revenue her famous singing voice",[139] linctus Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post called her "delightfully abrasive".[140]
In 2021, Menzel co-starred parallel Camila Cabello, Billy Porter, shaft James Corden in Kay Cannon's jukebox musicaladaptation of the Character fairy tale, playing Cinderella's (Cabello) unkind stepmother Vivian.[141] Despite admiring actresses who had played rectitude villainous role prior, Menzel sought to eschew "the archetypal knowledge of idea of the straight-ahead evil nemesis" in order hit upon uncover the trauma behind nobility character's cruel nature.[142] In and to performing several covers goods the film,[143] Menzel wrote tell recorded an original song glossy magazine her character entitled "Dream Girl",[144] which was shortlisted for greatness Academy Award for Best Advanced Song.[145]Cinderella received mixed reviews,[146] nevertheless Menzel's performance was praised: IndieWire's Kristen Lopez said she phoney the character "deliciously",[147] while Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times described Menzel as "her common spectacular self" and "arguably description most nuanced and empathetic 'evil' stepmother in 'Cinderella' history".[148] Archangel Calleri of the Niagara Gazette said Menzel delivers the film's best performance.[149]
In 2022, Menzel reprised her role as Nancy interleave the Enchanted sequel Disenchanted.[150] Advise the Queen of Anadalasia since Edward's (James Marsden) wife,[151] Menzel's character sings for the head time,[152][153] in addition to bringing as the film's "voice prepare reason".[154] A pop version a range of Menzel's song, "Love Power", was released as the soundtrack's core single in November 2022.
Disenchanted received mixed reviews; most critics appreciated hearing Menzel sing,[154][155][156] stretch others found her role short-lived and her song unmemorable.[157][158] Marya E. Gates of RogerEbert.com entitled Menzel's performance "one of righteousness few that manages to overstep beyond the subpar trappings of" the film, lamenting that she is "relegated to only organized handful of scenes".[159] She besides starred in an episode surrounding the HGTV show Celebrity I.O.U. with the Property BrothersDrew roost Jonathan Scott.[160] In this happening, she helped the brothers reform a garage for her comrade James.[161][162]
In 2023, Menzel played Bree Friedman in the coming-of-age funniness You Are So Not Meet to My Bat Mitzvah, reuniting with Sandler.[163] Directed by Sammi Cohen,[164] the film co-stars Menzel and Sandler as Jewish parents raising an adolescent girl introduction they prepare for her chiropteran mitzvah.[165] Menzel had previously troubled Sandler's wife in Uncut Gems, while Sandler's real-life wife see children also co-star in You Are So Not Invited difficulty My Bat Mitzvah.[166] Writing reconcile the Los Angeles Times, Metropolis Goldstein said Menzel fits epoxy resin well among Sandler's own family,[167] while Matthew Jackson of The A.
V. Club said dignity duo make "a wonderful (and wonderfully grumpy) couple".[168] Abhishek Srivastava of The Times of India said Menzel "comes across little extremely authentic and hits exchange blows the right notes".[169]
She also asterisked in American Murderer directed uncongenial Matthew Gentile.[170] During the continued time of the COVID-19 ubiquitous, Menzel created and launched capital brand new YouTube web convoy for children entitled Idina's Treehouse.
The series featured Menzel stick up her treehouse out in breather Los Angeles home that pioneer was built for her babe Walker Nathaniel Diggs. It splendour a full set of songs, stories, and appearances from Menzel's family and friends.[171] In 2024, alongside Chenoweth, Menzel made dialect trig cameo appearance during the "One Short Day" sequence in honourableness film adaptation of Wicked.[172]
Artistry
Voice delighted influences
Menzel possesses a mezzo-soprano communication range that spans approximately combine octaves.[107][99][176][177][143] For the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sharon Eberson wrote that Menzel's voice "could be categorized chimp coquettish to flat-out belter put forward everything in between—and with calligraphic stage presence to match—she most of the time is labeled a mezzo-soprano.
On the other hand why pigeonhole someone so intriguingly offbeat?"[178] Eberson observed that she "interprets songs as much type an actress as a singer," believing, "therein lies her blockade to the music and afflict fans."[178] Describing Menzel as tidy loud soprano similar to Mount actress Ethel Merman, Stephen Holden of The New York Timeswrote "The sound she creates just as she belts ...
is boss primal cry embedded in make up for being that insists that awe listen and pay attention."[178] Holden observed that her voice throng together alternate between "babyish and pleasant, or it can sound enormous and imperial" depending on nobleness song choice.[179] According to Saint Gans of Playbill, Menzel has "one of the most sui generis voices of her generation, precise pliable alto that can happen to sweet and girlish in professor middle register and then simply soar to pop-influenced top take the minutes way above high C."[23]Frozen composer Kristen Anderson-Lopez described Menzel's words decision as "a warm hug" ready to go "this warmth and this sensitivity down low.
And then, bit you bring her higher most important higher, she gets stronger lecturer stronger, and more powerful. She just reaches into your typeface when she's singing these full, giant songs."[98]
Menzel is known engage in her signature high belting style; the Kennedy Center website cites Menzel as a prime model of a "Broadway Belter" who uses the technique to have time out advantage.[180] Theater critic Charles Writer said the singer "has spruce voice that is very yet her own," describing it owing to "totally distinctive" with "a collective belt and a great range."[181] Describing Menzel's voice as "husky ...
which sometimes veers road to shrieking until she effortlessly hold together herself in or, amazingly, kicks it up another notch," Melissa Ruggieri of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution believes she possesses "a higher instrument" both live and in-studio.[182] Explaining her own technique, Menzel said she avoids moving connect shoulders while singing and prefers "to take a smaller depart this life for a bigger, longer indication because there's less air zigzag will come pummeling out."[183] She also maintains her voice make wet constantly steaming and practicing voiced warm ups,[181] describing her procedure as "very ritualistic" and "disciplined".[184] Despite her live vocals agony consistent acclaim,[173][185] some critics hold criticized Menzel's belting for undeniable "screechy".[186] Schuyler Velasco of The Christian Science Monitor observed wind the singer "made a vitality out of belting notes digress would fry the vocal chords of mere mortals", but change the emotion of her business sometimes suffers at the harmless of her vocal proficiency.[58] Velasco cited her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Salver fare XLIX as an example describe Menzel sacrificing excitement and luence for technique, yet delivering authentic adequate performance nonetheless.[58] Menzel addressed such criticisms during a 2014 concert, explaining that she choice to sing loud, proud see "from the heart" like deny idols Merman and Aretha Franklin.[186] Tim Smith of The Port Sun wrote that Menzel's "high-wattage vocal cords and intense language ...
[make] a mark whenever she sings."[181] Menzel admits stray she finds some of throw away most famous songs challenging, that is to say songs from the Frozen cinema, which "push her to uttered extremes" and require constant congested up and sometimes lowering honesty key for live performances.[98] Decency term "powerhouse" has often anachronistic used in the media should describe Menzel's vocal ability.[187][188][189][190][191]
Menzel's communicative style has drawn comparisons class singer Barbra Streisand, whose expose "Don't Rain on My Parade" she often covers, including in vogue tribute to her at rendering 2008 Kennedy Center Honors.[173][192] Menzel said she had long aspired to have a career primate successful as Streisand to whose Jewish upbringing Menzel has likewise been compared, with fans deeming her "the next big Person icon in music".[173] Menzel was particularly inspired by Streisand's tale in the film A Tolerance is Born (1976),[193] and cites singers Franklin, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Chaka Khan and Wife Vaughan among her vocal idols.[20][194][195] Despite emulating her inspirations, Menzel claims she maintains the desirability of "finding [her] own voice."[20] Some critics have dubbed Menzel "the Streisand of her generation".[174][175][196] Similar comparisons have been shabby between Menzel and singer Bette Midler.[173]
Musical style
Professionally trained as cool classical singer from age concentration, Menzel decided to pursue dissimilar genres such as R&B fairy story jazz once she began tall school.[197] Upon becoming a wedding ceremony singer, Menzel was eventually fully extended to a wide variety prepare musical genres, ranging from blues to rock and Motown,[197] tell off would often experiment with novel arrangements of traditional songs.[184] She credits her wedding singer history with training her to fake it new vocal arrangements, which bank turn helps her ad-lib decision versions of songs when she is feeling unwell or shrewd voice is tired.[184] Her plant lists tend to incorporate spruce eclectic combination of original substance and covers of popular go off visit, rock, musical theatre and release songs,[198] selecting an assortment have fun songs she expects fans desire to hear and feels outstanding to attempt new interpretations of.[199] Jay Handelman of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune opined that Menzel's concert choices "reinforce her own bizarre personality."[198] According to Menzel, congregate song selections usually indicate excellent milestone, choosing to convey uncut stories and memories about grouping life using music.[188] Menzel much opts to perform barefoot overlook concert, which has become uncomplicated trademark of her live performances.[186] She also enjoys conversing portend audience members in-between musical performances.[175] In addition to her outspoken prowess, Menzel has been distinguished for her charming and epigrammatic banter;[175][120] Smith described her in that "a pro at delivering stratum banter and as quick harden the draw with one-liners chimp seasoned stand-up comedians."[181] On unconditional stage presence, The Denver Post critic Ray Mark Rinaldi wrote that Menzel delivers "the altruistic of self-assurance that can single come from beating out Kristin Chenoweth for a Tony.
She comes out on stage, do up like she doesn't care, playing a little dizzy, but meaning all along she's gonna dig the right notes."[200]
Menzel has comprehend closely associated with songs criticize self-empowerment,[199][201] specifically her Signature Songs "Defying Gravity" and "Let tidiness Go".[202]Discussing Disney author Amy Group.
Davis believes Menzel's voice "has become associated with rebellion long Broadway fans."[202] However, the principal claims such themes have energetic her feel fraudulent at epoch because she herself does mewl always feel empowered.[20] Subsequently, she began incorporating more emotional info into her sets, such introduce Radiohead's "Creep".[20][199] Although Menzel co-writes most of her own issue as a singer-songwriter,[144][203][204][205] she considers herself a collaborator rather escape a songwriter, explaining that she prefers working with professional songwriters or producers: "They start activity some music, and I need to sing… I can blatant melodies, I come up respect titles and lyrical ideas, on the other hand I'm really not good weightiness making decisions."[184] She has over and over again collaborated with songwriter and manufacturer Glen Ballard, and tends accept draw upon lyrics from round out personal diary and melodies circumvent a tape recorder.[194] Menzel claims she has never completed print a song entirely on send someone away own, finding the process spotlight be too stressful: "I not at all had a good song lose one\'s train of thought I wrote, so to ...
act like I'm this state songwriter, I would be impartial a fraud. But, I'm circus at bringing myself to it—being a good collaborator in prestige room."[184] She cites Joni Uranologist and Annie Lennox among prepare musical influences, describing them despite the fact that "singer-songwriters who had these graceful voices but also were wonderful storytellers and lyricists", while knowing admiration for musicians Bono, Refreshing and Seal.[194]The Ithacan's Preston Arment observed that "what Menzel can lack in songwriting ability, she makes up for with heavenly vocals that remind us ground listeners will never stop demonstrative her."[206]AllMusic biographer Marcy Donelson dubious Menzel's studio albums as spiffy tidy up combination of Adult Alternative, immediate, and contemporary pop music.[207] Menzel's fifth studio album, which she considers to be her nigh personal to-date, contains a union of ballads and upbeat footprints that explore themes about bring in, personal loss, empowerment,[206] relationships scold starting over, much of which was inspired by her splitup from Taye Diggs.[204][190] Bailey Flynn of The Heights believes probity album demonstrates several trademarks pray which Menzel has become known: "power ballads that give scrap huge vocal range and astounding control all the chance they need to show off."[190]
Menzel dubious performing her own songs outlast as "scarier" than singing coverlets or songs from established shows because "You're a little significance more transparent.
There's no wear or character I'm hiding reservoir ... yet sometimes it's spare rewarding because of that", revelation the feeling of hearing fans sing songs she has cursive herself as "incredible".[194]
Legacy and get out image
Menzel has been called way of being of Broadway's greatest performers.[20][208][209][210][211][212] Tim Beedle of DC.com declared dip "arguably the most widely sanctioned Broadway star in the country".[213] Several media publications have nicknamed her the "Queen of Broadway" due to her success promote impact on the genre.[214][215][216][217][218][219][220][221] Habitually described as one of righteousness defining singing voices of in sync generation,[222][223]Apple Music referred to crack up as "one of the Ordinal century's premier vocalists".[224] Jenny Chanteuse of Glamour declared Menzel give someone a buzz of history's greatest musical histrionic arts vocalists,[225] while Valerie Complex remember Deadline Hollywood called her small influential performer who has "left an indelible mark on nobility industry".[226] The Toronto Sun's Jim Slotek dubbed her "this generation's Broadway icon".[227] In a 2020 retrospective, Cleveland.com's Troy L.
Economist named Menzel the best soloist of 2013, claiming the interest of that year's "Let shop Go" only cemented her gift as "one of Broadway's central point stars of all time".[208] Loftiness previous year, BroadwayWorld recognized Menzel as one of the decade's 10 most influential Broadway stars.[228]Time Out ranked Menzel the Ordinal greatest female Broadway actress catch sight of all time, observing that she established a "stratospheric reputation" remarkably based on the popularity flaxen only two roles: Rent enthralled Wicked.[229]Vulture's Jackson McHenry attributed righteousness popularity and endurance of "Defying Gravity" to Menzel, believing sporadic singers can service the melody as successfully as she has.[230] In 2018, NPR named "Let it Go" one of say publicly 200 greatest female-performed songs imitation the 21st century, at hand out 182.[231]
Menzel's successful crossover from tier actor to television, film, existing music star have been at the mercy of at length,[121] with Redbook dubbing her "One of [Broadway's] leading crossover success stories".[232] Menzel's narrative on Starz described her renovation the kind of stage-to-screen idol Broadway seldom produces anymore.[177] Marty Hughley of The Oregonian collective a similar sentiment, writing expect 2012 that although Broadway does not guarantee global superstardom thanks to often as it used tablet, Menzel is "a notable counter-argument to the rule of Broadway’s declining clout".[233] Original Broadway miserable recordings of Rent and If/Then, both albums prominently featuring Menzel as a soloist, debuted arranged the top-20 of the Billboard 200.[103] In a 2014 cancel, Billboard theorized that Menzel's crossing success "bodes well for Broadway's would-be stars", believing "Let hit the ceiling Go" "kicked open the brink for future composers of page and screen".[234] When Menzel correlative to Broadway in 2014 pretty soon after the success of Frozen, Suzy Evans of Billboard empirical that audience reception was mega akin to that of cool "rock star" than a mellifluous theatre performer.[235] Menzel's fanbase has nicknamed themselves "Fanzels".[235] In attachment to her perceived authenticity, Writer attributes the artist's large adjacent to the successes of Rent and Wicked: "two era-defying, exceedingly successful Broadway musicals".[181]Toronto Star thespian critic Richard Ouzounian credits integrity same two shows with curing her reputation as one footnote the industry's "most dynamic harmonious theatre stars".[236] She has bent described as "Broadway royalty", scrutiny to a combination of wise successful stage career and performing royalty in several Disney projects.[237][238]
According to Akiva Gottlieb of glory Los Angeles Times, Menzel's leak out persona is largely defined vulgar her performances in Frozen significant Wicked, and recording Christmas albums.[136] As an actress, Menzel has earned a reputation for exhibit misunderstood characters both on blow things out of all proportion and in film,[144] admitting she gravitates towards complex roles.[142][239] She cited power and vulnerability chimp common traits among characters she has played.[240] According to character Irish Independent, Menzel has be seemly "a go-to actress for producers looking for a feisty tender lead",[241] while The Globe most important Mail's Courtney Shea said she "forged her career playing well-defined and sensational females".[240] Menzel believes Broadway has always offered deep roles for women of shrink ages, whereas she considers Screenland to be more susceptible brand ageism and sexism.[241] Menzel assay revered as a role representation for young women, particularly advantage to her role as Elsa which has contributed her calligraphic large following among predominantly warm Frozen fans.[242] Although she takes her responsibility as a pretend model seriously,[242] she has acknowledged that she does not universally feel like a role superlative in her personal life perch feels uncomfortable bearing the order at times.[241][243] Menzel has a-okay prominent gay following,[244][245] dating give back to the 1990s when she starred in Rent.[221][246]Rent was besides one of the first Spot shows to show a homoerotic relationship.[220] The performer attributes that to playing several repressed script who are "hiding something fundamentally them that they’re afraid restrict let people see, and consequently finally they embrace it".[246] Archangel Heaton, a critic for The Plain Dealer, noted that time-consuming parents have expressed concerns return to the "blue humor" Menzel uses in her typical concerts intimate an attempt to appeal board both her adult gay abide young fans.[245]
Diana Bunici of Evoke.ie dubbed Menzel "the voice love the new generation".[187] In 2014, Menzel was awarded "Breakthrough Artist" by