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Idina Menzel is a prominent American actress and singer. She's well known for her work in Broadway musicals and appearances in mainstream films. She has been given the title "Queen of Broadway" and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame because of her success and contributions to the industry.
After making her mark on Broadway, Menzel tried her hand at films and played supporting roles in films like Kissing Jessica Stein and Just a Kiss before getting her break with the on-screen adaptation of Rent, a musical that she performed in. This was soon followed by the Disney production Enchanted, in 2007, which further bolstered her popularity. She also appeared in the famous TV series Glee and many other prominent titles throughout her career.
In this article, we list out some of the best titles that Idina Menzel has appeared in, including the recently released Disney production, Disenchanted.
Uncut Gems, Frozen, and three of the best Idina Menzel movies, including her recent fantasy fairytale Disenchanted
1) Uncut Gems
Uncut Gems is an American crime thriller from A24 productions that made a huge impact when it was released in 2019. With direction from brothers Josh and Benny Safdie, the film starred Adam Sandler in the lead role alongside Lakeith Stanfield, Idina Menzel, Julia Fox, and others. Sandler's performance was largely praised, with many describing it as the best of his career. The film went on to be featured among the ten best films of 2019.
The official synopsis for the film reads:
"An electrifying crime thriller about Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler), a charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score. When he makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime, Howard must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides, in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win."
Idina Menzel plays Dinah Ratner, the soon-to-be ex-wife of Sandler's Howard Ratner.
2) Frozen
Frozen is an animated fantasy musical from the house of Walt Disney Studios that was released in 2013. Based on the fairytale The Snow Queen (1844) by Hans Christian Andersen, the film is directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. The characters have been voiced by prominent actors like Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, and others.
Frozen follows the royal family of the fictional kingdom of Arendelle and focuses primarily on the sisters Elsa and Anna. Elsa possesses magical powers of ice, which forced her to spend the majority of her life in isolation to protect her loved ones. But at the crowning ceremony on her 21st birthday, Elsa's powers are revealed to the world, which makes everybody fear her.
Elsa escapes to lead a life away from everybody, but her power traps the kingdom in an eternal winter. Anna teams up with Kristoff and sets off to save her kingdom and sister from the icy coldness of the curse. Idina Menzel voiced the character of Elsa and received widespread praise for the same, with the original song Let It Go being a popular hit till date.
3) Rent
Rent is a 2005 musical drama directed by Chris Columbus. The film was adapted from a 1996 Broadway drama of the same name, which itself was based on the opera La bohème by Giacomo Puccini. The cast of the film essentially featured the same actors as on Broadway. Although the Broadway performance received praise from audiences and critics alike, the on-screen adaptation received more of a mixed review from the audience.
Set in the 1990s in the East Village of New York City, the film primarily revolves around the topic of HIV and life around it. The story follows multiple people who struggle with their sexuality, have drug abuse problems, and face an imminent crisis of homelessness if they cannot pay rent for the month. Rent follows the characters as they go about trying to make their lives work but don't always succeed. But they keep trying.
Idina Menzel retained her role as Maureen Johnson from her time on the 1996 Broadway show.
4) Cinderella
Cinderella is a 2021 romantic musical from the house of Sony Pictures. Based on the popular fairytale by Charles Perrault, the film is a new and revamped take on the iconic story. With direction from Kay Cannon, the film features the acting debut of singer-songwriter Camila Cabello as the titular character alongside prominent actors like Idina Menzel, Nicholas Galitzine, Billy Porter, Pierce Brosnan, James Corden, Romesh Ranganathan, Minnie Driver, and others.
The film revolves around Cinderella, an ambitious young woman who dreams of one day opening her own shop called Dresses by Ella and selling clothes designed by her. However, a patriarchal society and her stepfamily discourage her from these endeavors. One day, she catches the eye of Crown Prince Robert, who invites her to a ball.
With the help of her fairy godmother, Cinderella goes to the event and catches the attention of a visiting queen because of her dress. The rest of the story is an adventure as Ella tries to pursue her career, with Robert pursuing her as his romantic interest. The film is a modern take on the fairytale that we all know so well and incorporates new societal outlooks to make the story more diverse and exciting.
Idina Menzel's portrayal as Cinderella's stepmother is also a different take and shows her to be a considerate though outwardly mean woman.
5) Disenchanted
Disenchanted is a recently released fantasy comedy musical from Walt Disney Productions. With direction from Adam Shankman, the film acts as the sequel to the 2007 hit, Enchanted. The film features actors like Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel, and James Marsden reprising their roles from the original movie, with Gabriella Baldacchino, Maya Rudolph, and Yvette Brown joining the cast. The film was released exclusively on Disney+ on November 18, 2022.
Disenchanted follows Giselle, Robert, Morgan, and a newborn member of the family, Sofia, as they move from Manhattan to Monroeville. With a string of bad experiences, the family is struggling to adjust to their new lives in the suburban town. When Giselle wishes for her family to have a "perfect fairy tale," things go awry and the whole town is engulfed to become the magical town of Monrolasia, with Giselle gradually becoming the evil stepmother to Morgan.
The family must now come together and stop the change, as it would mean the end of Andalasia and Giselle's transformation into the evil sorceress. If you are a fan of modern fantasy musicals, Disenchanted is a must watch.
