Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs (born January 2, 1971) is an American stage and film actor. He is known for his roles in the
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
''How Stella Got Her Groove Back'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, adapted from Terry McMillan's best-selling 1996 novel of the same title. The film stars Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs (in his film ...
'' (1998), ''
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar.
Brown Sugar may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul
* ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...
'', ''
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
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, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
'' (both 2002), ''
Malibu's Most Wanted
''Malibu's Most Wanted'' is a 2003 American comedy film written by and starring Jamie Kennedy and co-starring Taye Diggs, Anthony Anderson, Blair Underwood, Regina Hall, Damien Dante Wayans, Ryan O'Neal, and Snoop Dogg. The film is written by t ...
'' (2003), and '' The Best Man'' (1999) and its sequel, ''
The Best Man Holiday
''The Best Man Holiday'' is a 2013 American comedy-drama film written, co-produced and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. A sequel to Lee's '' The Best Man'' (1999), it stars Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Ni ...
'' (2013).
Early life
Diggs was born in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.South Wedge neighborhood of
Rochester, New York
Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located in W ...
. His mother, Marcia (née Berry), was a teacher and actress, and his father, Andre Young, is a visual artist. When he was a child, his mother married Jeffries Diggs, whose surname Taye took. His nickname, Taye, comes from the playful pronunciation of Scotty as "Scottay". He is the oldest of five children. He has two brothers, Gabriel and Michael, and two sisters, Christian and Shalom. He attended Allendale Columbia School in Rochester and later transferred to School of the Arts. He received a BFA in musical theater in 1993 from
Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Located in the city's Uni ...
.
Diggs performed many times at the popular Lakes Region Summer Theatre in
Meredith, New Hampshire
Meredith is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,662 at the 2020 census. Meredith is situated in the state's Lakes Region and serves as a major resort town. Meredith Village, the commercial center of the t ...
. He also spent the summer of 1992 at the New London Barn Playhouse in
New London, New Hampshire
New London is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,400 at the 2020 census. The town is the home of Colby–Sawyer College.
The town center, where 1,266 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined as th ...
. His Broadway debut was in the ensemble cast of the 1994
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
-winning revival of the musical '' Carousel''. In 1995, he also performed as a dancer in ''Sebastian's Caribbean Carnival'' at
Tokyo Disneyland
(local nickname ''TDL'') is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to ...
.
Career
In 1996, Diggs originated the role of the landlord Benny in
Jonathan Larson
Jonathan David Larson (February 4, 1960 – January 25, 1996) was an American composer, lyricist and playwright most famous for writing the musicals ''Rent'' and '' Tick, Tick... Boom!'', which explored the social issues of multiculturalism, ...
's Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning '' Rent'', which also starred his future wife,
Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on the Broadway stage and having achieved mainstream success across stage, film and music, Menzel has garnered the honori ...
. After ''Rent'', he appeared as Mr. Black opposite Menzel's character of Kate in
Andrew Lippa
Andrew Lippa (born December 22, 1964) is an American composer, lyricist, book writer, performer, and producer. He is a resident artist at the Ars Nova Theater in New York City.
Early life
Lippa was born in Leeds, England, to English parent ...
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
'' and filled in as Billy Flynn on Broadway. He also temporarily filled in for Norbert Leo Butz (an original ''Rent'' standby) as the love interest Fiyero of Menzel's Elphaba character in ''
Wicked
Wicked may refer to:
Books
* Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe
* '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name
* ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...
''.
Diggs then moved from stage to television with a role on the soap opera '' Guiding Light''. In 1998, he made his film debut in ''
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
''How Stella Got Her Groove Back'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, adapted from Terry McMillan's best-selling 1996 novel of the same title. The film stars Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs (in his film ...
'', which brought Diggs much acclaim and exposure. The following year, he played a tantric sex god in
Doug Liman
Douglas Eric Liman (; born July 24, 1965) is an American film director and producer. He is known for directing the films '' Swingers'' (1996), '' Go'' (1999), '' The Bourne Identity'' (2002), '' Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' (2005), ''Jumper'' (2008), '' Ed ...
AWOL
Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which ...
The Wood
''The Wood'' is a 1999 American coming-of-age comedy drama film directed by Rick Famuyiwa and starring Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones and Taye Diggs. It was written by Famuyiwa and Todd Boyd.
Plot
Roland is getting married and is currently missin ...
'' alongside Omar Epps. Malcolm D. Lee's '' The Best Man'' features Diggs as the title character, an author and best friend of the groom (portrayed by Morris Chestnut).
He also starred in the 1999 remake of William Castle's ''
House on Haunted Hill
''House on Haunted Hill'' is a 1959 American horror film produced and directed by William Castle, written by Robb White and starring Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long, Alan Marshal, Carolyn Craig and Elisha Cook Jr. Price plays an ...
''. Diggs was featured in an episode of ''
America's Next Top Model
''America's Next Top Model'' (abbreviated ''ANTM'' and ''Top Model'') is an American reality television series and interactive competition in which a number of aspiring models compete for the title of "America's Next Top Model" and a chance to b ...
'' helping the contestants through an acting challenge. Another notable role of his was on the comedy-drama '' Ally McBeal'' as a lawyer named Jackson Duper who was the love interest of the character Renee Raddick and the possible love interest of the Ling Woo character.
Diggs portrayed the title character on the short-lived
UPN
The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that launched on January 16, 1995. It was originally owned by Chris-Craft Industries' United Television. Viacom (through its Paramount Television unit, which pr ...
television series ''
Kevin Hill
''Kevin Hill'' is an American legal drama that aired on UPN from September 29, 2004 to May 18, 2005. It was filmed and produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Synopsis
The series stars Taye Diggs as the title character, a lawyer who has to bal ...
'' which despite critical acclaim was not renewed for a second season. He reprised the role of Benny for the 2005 ''Rent'' film. Diggs is featured on the following
cast recording
A cast recording is a recording of a stage musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording or OCR, as the name implies, features the voices of the sho ...
s: ''Carousel'' 1994 revival cast; ''Rent'' 1996 original Broadway cast; '' The Wild Party'' original off-Broadway cast. He also sings on the ''Rent'' film soundtrack. In 2002, he reprised his role as the Bandleader in the film adaptation of ''Chicago'', and also played opposite Christian Bale as Bale's partner/antagonist Brandt in the dystopian sci-fi thriller ''Equilibrium''.
In 2003, Diggs appeared on the TV show '' Punk'd'' after being tricked by
Ashton Kutcher
Christopher Ashton Kutcher (; born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former model. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a People's Choice Award, and nominations for two Young Artist Awards, a ...
, while getting a check-up at a ''Punk'd''-operated doctor's office. In early 2006, Diggs guest-starred for several episodes as Will Truman's love interest, James, on the eighth season of ''
Will & Grace
''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman ( Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler ( Debra Messi ...
''. In May, ABC picked up his pilot, '' Day Break'', in which he portrayed a detective trapped in the same day and forced to relive it to clear his name of murder; the show debuted in mid-November 2006, but was abruptly canceled due to poor ratings. Although his film and television career continue to move forward, he still returns to the stage frequently. He was seen opposite
James McDaniel
James McDaniel Jr. (born March 25, 1958) is an American stage, film and television actor. He is best known for playing Lt. Arthur Fancy on the television show ''NYPD Blue''. He created the role of Paul in the hit Lincoln Center play '' Six Degr ...
Second Stage Theatre
Second Stage Theater is a theater company founded in 1979 by Robyn Goodman and Carole Rothman and located in Manhattan, New York City. It produces both new plays and revivals of contemporary American plays by new playwrights and established wri ...
Grey's Anatomy
''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into s ...
'', which ran for six seasons from 2007 until 2013. Diggs had a guest role on ''
The West Wing
''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...
'' as a Secret Service agent in charge of the security detail for the President's daughter. He then guest-starred on ''Grey's Anatomy'' again in a ''Grey's Anatomy''/''Private Practice'' crossover event. Diggs had a major role in the live action adaptation of the comic '' Dylan Dog: Dead of Night'' (2011). He also narrated the ESPN Films documentary ''The Fab Five'' about
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
basketball players
Chris Webber
Mayce Edward Christopher Webber III (born March 1, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player. Drafted number one overall by the Orlando Magic, though arguably best known and remembered as the star forward for the Sacramento Ki ...
,
Juwan Howard
Juwan Antonio Howard (born February 7, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player and current head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's team.
A one-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA power forward, he began his NBA career ...
, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson. Diggs is one of the stars of the independent film drama ''Between Us'' that won the grand jury prize at the 2012 Bahamas International Film Festival among its other festival appearances.
From 2014 until 2016, Diggs starred in the
TNT
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
Kathleen Robertson
Kathleen Robertson (born July 8, 1973) is a Canadian actress, producer, writer and showrunner. She is best known for her roles as Kitty O' Neill in the Starz, Golden Globe winning series Boss, Hildy Mulligan in TNT's Murder in the First, Tina Edi ...
. The show ran for three seasons.
Diggs is the author of four children's books, ''Mixed Me!'' (2015), ''Chocolate Me'' (2015), ''I Love You More Than...'' (2018), and ''My Friend!'' (2021), all illustrated by Shane Evans (artist).
Diggs performed the role of the titular character Hedwig in the Broadway production of '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' at the
Belasco Theatre
The Belasco Theatre is a Broadway theater at 111 West 44th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Originally known as the Stuyvesant Theatre, it was built in 1907 an ...
from July 22, 2015, until the production's closing on September 13, 2015.
In 2017, Diggs appeared in the films '' 'Til Death Do Us Part'' and '' My Little Pony: The Movie'', where he voices Capper the cat.
Diggs has twice appeared on
Paramount Network
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was ...
’s reality competition series '' Lip Sync Battle'' and is the show's only two-time winner. In a third season episode against
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
tribute episode, he competed against Erika Jayne, performing “
Beautiful
Beautiful, an adjective used to describe things as possessing beauty, may refer to:
Film and theater
* ''Beautiful'' (2000 film), an American film directed by Sally Field
* ''Beautiful'' (2008 film), a South Korean film directed by Juhn Jai-h ...
” and " Candyman".
Diggs hosted the game show ''Hypnotize Me'' with hypnotist Keith Barry, based on Barry's British program ''
You're Back in the Room
''You're Back in the Room'' was a British television game show that was broadcast on ITV from 14 March 2015 to 9 April 2016. The show was hosted by Phillip Schofield and starred Keith Barry. The premise consists of contestants who have to comp ...
''. ''Hypnotize Me'' was originally shot for broadcast on FOX in 2016, but never aired on the network. The eight-episode series was eventually broadcast on
The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
, in the summer of 2019.
Personal life
Diggs married actress
Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on the Broadway stage and having achieved mainstream success across stage, film and music, Menzel has garnered the honori ...
, his ''Rent'' co-star, on January 11, 2003. Their son, Walker Nathaniel Diggs, was born on September 2, 2009. In 2013, Diggs and Menzel separated after ten years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized on December 3, 2014.
Diggs is the co-artistic director of a dance company, Dre.dance, with fellow Broadway veteran and School of the Arts alumnus Andrew Palermo. Taye Diggs is currently engaged to '' Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood'' star Apryl Jones, who is the mother of singer
Omarion
Omari Ishmael Grandberry (born November 12, 1984), better known by his stage name Omarion, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, actor and dancer. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the boy band B2K. The group achieved success in the e ...
's children.
Filmography
Film
Television
Music videos
Awards and nominations
In popular culture
*In 2012, in the "Dr. Klaustus" episode of the animated series '' American Dad!'', the character Roger sees a picture of Diggs in a magazine and comments that he is "still perfect". He refers to Diggs as "my constant, my ebony north star".
*On the NBC series '' Parks and Recreation'', Diggs is often referenced by character
Tom Haverford
Thomas Montgomery Haverford (born Darwish Sabir Ismail Ghani) is a fictional character on the NBC series ''Parks and Recreation''. He is a sarcastic, underachieving government official for the city of Pawnee who—in his own mind—is revered f ...
, who likens himself to Diggs. He also fantasizes about co-owning a burlesque nightclub with Diggs and two of the
Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat or Pussy Cat may refer to:
* Cat, a domestic feline
Music Bands
* Pussycat (band), a Dutch country and pop group
* The Pussycats, a 1960s Norwegian rock band
* The Pussycats, a group signed to Kama Sutra Records
Albums
* '' Pussy Ca ...
.
*On the NBC series '' 30 Rock'', Diggs is referenced as a male-excellence example by
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy ( ) is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom ''30 Rock'', airing from 2006 to 2013. The character was created by series creator Tina Fey, and is portrayed by Alec Baldwin. He was introduced as the Vice President of Ea ...
: " If I were dating a man he would be at the top of my list, with Michael Jordan, Denzel Washington."
*On the ABC/TBS television series ''
Cougar Town
''Cougar Town'' is an American television sitcom that ran for 102 episodes over six seasons, from September 23, 2009, until March 31, 2015. The first three seasons aired on ABC, with the series moving to TBS for the remaining three seasons. AB ...
'', the character Laurie Keller is shown to have a crush on Diggs. She describes his smile as one that "lights up the world" and has numerous pictures of him in her apartment.
*Season 4 episode 10 of '' Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'': the only people who follow Fran’s girlfriend Monica on Twitter are her mother "and, of course, Taye Diggs".