Lea Salonga on motherhood, love, and standing by her son

Award-winning theater icon Lea Salonga spoke with striking honesty about motherhood, separation, and unconditional love as she opened up about supporting her son, Nic Chien, through his transition—sharing a deeply personal perspective shaped not by ideology, but by lived experience.

Speaking during a media call for Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular in Parañaque City, Salonga confirmed that she and her former partner, Robert Chien, have long been separated but remain united in one priority: their child’s well-being.

“We are both super busy, but thankful the dad and dad’s partner are the ones—pag may sipon ka, here I will send you food. I will make sure you are well. It’s not a secret we have been separated for a while. He is happy and I am happy he is happy,” she shared.
(“We are both super busy, but thankfully the dad and the dad’s partner are the ones—if you have a cold, I’ll send you food. I will make sure you are well. It’s not a secret that we have been separated for a while. He is happy, and I am happy that he is happy.”)

For Salonga, parenting comes with a non-negotiable responsibility—to love without conditions. She was firm and unapologetic about where she stands.

“To those who do not have kids, if you think you will not be able to love your child if they come out to you—if they say ‘Mom, I’m lesbian, bisexual, or trans,’ if under those conditions your love will stop. Do not have children. Save yourself the drama and heartbreak. If hindi mo kaya, wag na lang,” she said.
(“If you can’t handle it, then don’t do it.”)

She added a reflection that resonated widely with parents and audiences alike.

“Children are not customizable. Every kid is a blind box. You don’t know what you will get—but chances are it is the one you don’t want, but that is what you will get.”

Salonga revealed that Nic’s transition brought positive changes, particularly in his confidence and sense of self.

“When there is change—the voice drops, body hair—it was a much more positive outcome. I just want a happy kid,” she said.

But the journey was not without pain. Salonga spoke candidly about the emotional toll dysphoria took on her son—and on her as a mother.

“The dysphoria was a lot to deal with. It was affecting his mental health and every aspect of his life. To be his mom and to feel helpless—it is a terrible feeling,” she explained.

“There is a feeling of guilt when you are unable to help your child. It is truly difficult.”

Support systems, therapy, and hormone treatment became crucial steps forward—ones Salonga said helped her son feel at home in his own body.

“But with testosterone therapy and everything else, working with his therapist, just figuring out how to be happy in his body, being confident to show the results—everyone in the family is so happy that he knew what he wanted,” she shared.

Through it all, Salonga remained clear about her role.

“My job as his mom was to try and figure out how to get things done.”

She also acknowledged that not everyone agrees with the choices made for her son—but those opinions do not outweigh her duty as a parent.

“I am aware there are folks that will not understand or have a very negative opinion of the decisions we made for his health and his own navigation of the world as a trans man. My only thing is, I have to do what I need to do to help my child,” Salonga said.

Beyond the conversation, Salonga is set to return to the stage as Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular, currently running at The Theatre at Solaire until 1 March 2026.

But offstage, her message as a mother rang just as powerfully: love is not selective, children are not projects, and parenthood—at its core—is about choosing compassion, every single time.