“Into the Unknown”! Broadway icon and Frozen star Idina Menzel exclusively let Us Weekly in on some Wicked-ly fun facts about herself that even her biggest fans may not know.
Decades before she became a Tony winner or scored a massive hit with the Frozen franchise, the actress was trying to make a name for herself by singing at various celebrations — and lying about her age.
“I used to [sing] at weddings and Bar Mitzvahs,” the Glee alum tells Us, noting that she “lied about my age as a teenager so I could perform.”
After getting her big break in 1995 by originating the role of Maureen in Rent, Menzel went on to marry her costar Taye Diggs in 2003. The Enchanted actress’ star was able to take her career to new heights as she went on to star as Elphaba in Wicked and land the role of Elsa in 2013’s animated Disney blockbuster Frozen.
Though Menzel and Diggs divorced in 2014, the two coparent 12-year-old son Walker. Though her son is now a preteen, the Cinderella star admits to Us that she “still like[s] to hold him like a baby when he sleeps.” She also built him the treehouse of her dreams — the one she “always wished I had as a kid.”
When she’s not parenting her son, relaxing with husband Aaron Lohr, or performing, Menzel is dreaming of her next career moves. “My dream duet is with [U2] frontman Bono,” she tells Us, adding that her favorite song to sing in the shower is Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.”
Keep scrolling for more fun facts about Menzel:
1. I’m actually Dr. Idina Menzel. I have an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts.
2. I used to [sing] at weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.
3. I lied about my age as a teenager so I could perform.
4. My favorite song to sing in the shower is “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston, sung in the same key.
5. My son, Walker, is 12, but I still like to hold him like a baby when he sleeps.
6. I make a mean pancake.
7. I built my son the treehouse I always wished I had as a kid.
8. My favorite movie is The Black Stallion.
9. I’m ambidextrous.
10. I don’t like wet kisses … unless they’re from my dog, Louie.
11. I’ve got to have a Diet Coke if I’m eating popcorn.
12. I have recurring nightmares that I haven’t graduated from college and that my teeth are falling out.
13. My dream duet is with [U2 frontman] Bono.
14. My favorite car is a baby blue 1988 Mercedes convertible.
15. I got married [to my husband of four years, Aaron Lohr] in my backyard.
16. The first album I ever owned was the A Star Is Born [soundtrack] by Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.
17. I can fall asleep anywhere.
18. I don’t have any tattoos.
19. I’m very competitive.
20. I have to watch what I say at my son’s basketball games.
21. I love breakfast for dinner.
22. I like to dip my buttered bagel in my coffee.
23. I’d rather be on my couch than on a red carpet.
24. My favorite TV show is The West Wing.
25. I was inspired to design my clothing line, Encore by Idina Menzel, when I realized how well put together all of the other moms were at school drop-off in the morning.