Idina Kim Menzel, born Idina Mentzel on May 30, 1971, is a renowned American actress and singer, particularly recognized for her remarkable work in musicals on the Broadway stage and her subsequent mainstream success across stage, film, and music. She has earned the esteemed title "Queen of Broadway" due to her impressive achievements, which include an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for three Drama League Awards and four Drama Desk Awards. In 2019, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her significant contributions to live theatre.
Menzel initially gained prominence as a stage actress in 1996, making her Broadway debut as Maureen Johnson in the rock musical Rent, which garnered her a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Following her appearance in several smaller-scale stage and Off-Broadway productions, Menzel originated the role of Elphaba in the Broadway musical Wicked in 2003, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. The immense popularity of the musical, her character, and her iconic song "Defying Gravity" earned her a devoted following among theater enthusiasts. After leaving the show in 2005, she reprised the role in the musical's original West End production until the end of 2006, becoming the highest-paid actress in West End theatre history. In 2014, Menzel returned to Broadway as Elizabeth Vaughan in the musical If/Then, earning her third Tony Award nomination.
Menzel began transitioning to film and television roles in the early 2000s. Following her reprisal of the role as Maureen in Rent's 2005 film adaptation, she was cast as Nancy Tremaine in Disney's musical fantasy film Enchanted (2007) and reprised her role in its sequel Disenchanted (2022). She had a recurring role as Shelby Corcoran on the musical television series Glee (2010-2013). Since 2013, Menzel has voiced Elsa in Disney's animated Frozen franchise. The song "Let It Go", which she recorded for the first film, became a massive hit upon release, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song and reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first Tony Award-winning actor to have a top-10 song on the chart.
As a recording artist, Menzel has released six studio albums: Still I Can't Be Still (1998),Here (2004),I Stand (2008),Holiday Wishes (2014),idina. (2016),and Christmas: A Season of Love (2019).
