Idina Menzel and Nia Long Talk Beaches, Confidence, and Why Life-Long Friendships Are So Important

Idina: I think I thought when I was that age it was going to solve everything and make me a happy person. And then I realized, you know, that’s not success. Even spending your day doing something you love… I don’t know, maybe it’s just because I need more anti-depressants. [Laughs.] Spending your days doing something you love, your passions, should make you happy. But you keep moving the bar—if something’s not perfect, the more successful you get, the more people there are to tell you…

Nia: …what you should be doing.

Idina: Or that you’re not good. You know, the more people are paying attention, that incites more negativity. I think when I was a dreamer, I didn’t realize. I also think I believed in myself more as a kid.

Nia: I just had that conversation with myself!

Idina: I thought I was invincible; I thought I was destined. I knew that I had this talent, and it was only going to be a matter of time. And now you can say to me one little thing to me about my performance, and I’ll go home and cry about it. Somehow, with age, your experience changes.

Nia: Knowing yourself is not always…it doesn’t always make it easier. When you’re younger, you’re just this free spirit. I’m talking younger, 13 years old, and I was that same way too. I would just visualize it and manifest it. I was fearless. Now that I have family and people that depend on me, the stakes were higher. It can be fearful. But what I had to remind myself was to keep dreaming, because when you’re dreaming, you’re actually coming from a place of…you’re not affected by all the messages we get from the outside. You’re just in your own space, which can also cause a little loneliness because you can’t share that with everyone. It’s this sacred thing.

Idina: Maybe that’s what so important about friendship, that we have people who keep us on track, and in this movie, remind them, "That wasn’t you. You dreamt of this. Keep going for it. Don’t give up."

Glamour: That’s true. One of my pet peeves lately is, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Nia: That’s bullsh-t. Sorry.

Glamour: I’m glad you said that! I love what I do, but I haven’t slept this whole week. It is work, no matter how much you do love and appreciate it.

Idina: Sometimes I get sick, and I’m terrified what notes are going to come out. It’s the worst feeling in the world. Then I feel guilty that I’m not loving what I’m doing because how many people would dream to be doing what we’re doing, and all I want to do is get off stage because I’m so scared the cold’s going to set in, and I’m going to embarrass myself, you know?