Taye Diggs is making the world a better place one children’sbook at a time. The actor, who is fresh off starring in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway, hasreleased his second book, Mixed Me!, a collaboration with longtimefriend Shane Evans. The story, which centers around Mike, a young boy of mixedrace, hits close to home for Taye who has a biracial son, Walker, from his relationship with ex-wife Idina Menzel.
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The 44-year-old revealed to HELLO! that his son served asinspiration for the new book, so much so that he dedicated it to Walker andothers, including “all the crazy-coiled buttery-skinned individual mixties ofthe world.” He writes to them, “Thank y’all for being you and helping me betteraccept myself.”
HELLO!: So Walker was the inspiration for the book. Did he giveyou his final stamp of approval on it?Taye Diggs: He said he liked it [laughs]. He’s 6 years oldso I read it to him a couple of times. He’s at the age now where he’s startingto get too cool for school so you know I can tell when he’s really intosomething. He won’t necessarily come out and say it.
H!: What’s the best part about having a son now at that age?TD: Everything he can do. We can have discussions, and he’s old enough where he’s very much in control of his reflexes. Right nowhe wants to get into kung foo and he can do stuff, so it's really cool watchinghis abilities.
H!: In terms of talent do you see more of yourself orIdina [Menzel] in him?TD: Smack right down the middle.
H!: With the holidays quickly approaching, what is one tradition that you have passed on to Walker?TD: Saying what we're thankful for before we eat.
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H!: Growing up, what would your younger self havethought of Mixed Me!?TD: He would have thought it was really cool becausethere were no books like that when I was a kid, and I would have seen it asvery different when I was a kid. The difference was really cool.
H!: How would it have helped yousee the world or yourself in a different way, having a book like this?TD: Just a little bit more understanding, at ayounger age because for me once I was old enough and my brain matured, I had aneasier time understanding things. When you're younger sometimes you need alittle bit more help. Hopefully this book willprovide that kind of assistance to kids of a younger age today.
H!: Why is this type of book important for children toread?TD: Because at some point in everyone’s life theywrestle with self-esteem and we all need to learn how to love ourselves. Itmakes us better people and more able to love others.
H!: You have Mixed Me! and Chocolate Me. What’s yournext book going to be about?TD: I don’t know, but we're definitely working on it.I have a book that’s about love and a book about friendship so we'll see whatthe order is going to be.
H!: Could you see them becoming a TV show?TD: I could see Mixed Me and Chocolate Me becoming a TVshow.