Taye Diggs

Background

Taye Diggs was born on January 2, 1971, in Newark, New Jersey. He grew up in Rochester, New York. His father was a visual artist, and his mother was a teacher. Diggs is the oldest of five children. He has two brothers and two sisters. His mother eventually married Jeffries Diggs, who gave him his surname. Diggs went to Allendale Columbia School in Rochester before moving to the School of Arts. He then proceeded to Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater in 1993.

Three years later, he appeared in “Rent” as Benny, the landlord. The play won a Pulitzer Prize. After a few years of working on the stage, Diggs moved from stage to television with a role in the soap opera “Guiding Light.” In 1998, he made his film debut in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.” Four years later, he worked as the Bandleader in the film adaptation of “Chicago” and played Christian Bale’s partner/antagonist in “Equilibrium.” In 2003, Diggs appeared on “Punk’d” and guest-starred for several episodes on the eighth season of “Will & Grace” in 2006. A year later, he landed a role in “Private Practice,” the spin-off of “Grey’s Anatomy.” It ran for six seasons from 2007 to 2013.

On January 11, 2003, Diggs married Idina Menzel. Six years later, Menzel gave birth to the couple’s first child, Walker Nathaniel Diggs. They separated in 2013 and their divorce was finalized on December 3, 2014.