Taye Diggs Says His Son's Disinterest in Acting Is 'Killing' His Mother Idina Menzel: 'He's Such an Athlete'

Taye Diggs understands his son, Walker Nathaniel Diggs, 14, doesn't want to go into showbiz — but his mother, Idina Menzel, feels differently.

"No interest at all, and it's killing his mother. I don't really care, but he has such a beautiful voice. He is a good-looking kid, he's hilarious, so he would be great [in the industry], but he has no interest whatsoever. He's such an athlete, but it's interesting that he's chosen that path," the actor, 53, exclusively tells OK! while talking about his partnership with Tru Earth.

"Basketball is his main sport, but he can play everything. He's obsessed with basketball," the All American star adds. "It's really fun watching someone you've created really focus on something. It's a trip!"

However, the dad-of-one understands his kiddo isn't always going to want to hang out with him and the Frozen star, whom he split from in 2013. "As parents, we kind of have to honor that he's going to have his moods because he's a teenager," he shares. "But when he does open up, it's great. He never fails to tell us how proud he is of us."

The singer started out in the Broadway world, making headlines playing Benjamin Coffin III in Rent, but his career had somewhat of a resurgence when he appeared on The CW's All American in 2018. "I felt very lucky because I was in a situation where art was kind of imitating life, and even when I was on that program, my son knew more about football than I did," he says. "So, we were able to watch that show together and discuss the issues as well as the athletics. That was a seminal moment for us."

The Private Practice star had "no idea" the TV show would take off, but he doesn't "approach" jobs like that. "It just was a really great script," he says. "It was amazing, and me and Walker got closer on a different level. It gave me a different perspective on relationships that older men have with young boys. I got really close with the cast, and it's the gift that keeps on giving. It opened up so many doors for me that I would not have known about, and I love that in life and in acting."

In the meantime, when Taye isn't appearing on the small screen, he's excited to partner with Tru Earth just in time for Earth Month. "When it comes to the environment, I'm kind of new to this," he admits. "I was one of those people that chose to kind of ignore it. But until Tru Earth came along, they introduced how easy it is to make a difference. They came up with these eco strips when it comes to washing your clothes. We're all used to having the detergent in these big plastic containers, and with these eco strips, you can avoid all of that. It's as easy as pulling the strip out of the plastic, throwing it into the laundry and you're done! I couldn't believe it was that simple. Once that become known to me, I realized we can all make a difference, and now I feel like I can contribute to helping the planet even more."

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"It's all about taking those little steps to help out — composting is a simple way that anyone can make a difference, embracing reusable containers is something I started doing," he continues. "Ditching the laundry jugs and using the eco strips. I didn't know the little steps could make such a big difference and that makes me feel about myself as well."