Taye Diggs

Taye Diggs, born January 2, 1971, was the reason why Stella got her groove back in 1998’s hit film and first rose to fame in the original Broadway version of Rent.

Diggs received a BFA in musical theater from Syracuse University in 1993 and one year later he made his Broadway deubt in the Tony Award-winning revival of the musical Carousel. 1996 was the year he landed the role of Benny in Rent and started appearing on TV shows including New York Undercover and Law and Order. Over the years he’s had memorable roles/appearances in the movie The Best Man, The Wood, Brown Sugar, Chicago, Will & Grace, Grey’s Anatomy, and more. Right now he’s a regular on ABC’s Private Practice.

Outside of acting, Diggs helped launch the ALPO Real Dogs Eat Meat Handbook and co-founded dre.dance, a contemporary dance company, with fellow Broadway veteran Andrew Palermo.

Married to his Rent costar Idina Menzel, Diggs has a son, Walker, born in 2009.