Chaz Bono, aged 54, is widely recognized as the only child of the iconic singing duo Sonny & Cher. However, Chaz’s journey in the spotlight began as a young, bright-eyed girl named Chastity when he made appearances on his parents’ popular television show, “The Sonny & Cher Show.” In the years that followed, Chaz emerged from his parents’ influential shadows and forged a successful career of his own. He is a multi-talented writer, musician, actor, and a passionate advocate for the LGBT community, a journey that began when he came out in 1995.
Despite now being a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, Chaz’s path to success was marked by numerous challenges. He faced personal health issues and developed a strong voice as an advocate for body image and addiction, topics that he himself struggled with during a period of his life. Chaz remains open and candid with the public about his past, with the hope that his story can inspire and support others.
While Chaz’s early life was intertwined with his famous parents, he has since pursued his own projects and earned recognition in the industry. In recent years, Chaz has made notable appearances in Hollywood productions such as “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and multiple installments of “American Horror Story.” Additionally, he starred in a documentary shedding light on transgender lives in cinema and a mockumentary featuring a fictional self-help guru, all contributing to his diverse and evolving career.
The actor’s career is soaring but unbeknownst to some, so is his love life. Since 2017, Chaz has been dating actress-turned-charity-worker Shara Blue. Although the couple isn’t too public with their romance, they have shared some special moments on their social media channels over the last few months. Let’s take a look.
Born as Chastity Sun Bono on March 4, 1969, in Los Angeles, California, Chaz entered the world as the child of the late Sonny Bono and Cher, the famed singing duo. Given his parents’ celebrity status as Sonny & Cher, it was almost inevitable that Chaz’s life story became a public narrative from a very young age, even though he didn’t necessarily seek the limelight. This early exposure to fame likely added complexity to his path toward self-discovery and self-acceptance.
As the cherubic-looking child of the iconic hippie couple, Chaz later recalled feeling distinct from the girls in his peer group. By the age of 18, he took the courageous step of coming out as a lesbian to his parents. In his autobiography, titled “Family Outing,” Chaz wrote:
“As a child, I always felt there was something different about me. I’d observe other girls my age and be bewildered by their keen interest in the latest fashion trends, debates about the cutest boy in class, and discussions about who resembled cover girl Christie Brinkley the most. When I was 13, I finally found a term that precisely described how I was different. I realized I was gay.”
In 1995, when Chaz was in his mid-20s, he publicly came out as a lesbian during an interview with The Advocate. In his autobiography, he noted that his coming-out experience “thrust me into a political role that transformed my life, offering affirmation as a lesbian, a woman, and an individual.”
Notably, although Cher had long been regarded as a gay icon and an advocate for the LGBT community, Chaz initially faced challenges with his mother’s acceptance of his news. However, over time, Cher reconciled with the revelation. A year after Chaz’s coming out, she proudly appeared on the cover of The Advocate as the supportive mother of a lesbian daughter.
After dedicating more than a decade to advocating for the LGBT community, Chaz embarked on a deeply personal journey by coming out once again, this time as a transgender man. In a candid 2011 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Chaz shared his profound voyage of self-discovery and the pivotal moments that led him to understand that he wasn’t born in the right body.
He revealed that from a very young age, he had an unwavering sense of being a boy, and his closest friends were always boys. However, the real struggle began with the onset of puberty when he grappled with the incongruence between his male identity and his female body. He articulated to Winfrey:
“As I got older, especially during puberty, it felt like the expectations around me were changing, and how I was supposed to behave. But it also felt as though my body was, quite literally, betraying me. I transitioned from being a very athletic, slender child to a voluptuous woman, and it was utterly distressing to me.”
He went on to emphasize:
“You have this self-image, and suddenly, your body seems to defy everything you feel.”
Chaz further revealed that his more masculine behavior as a child appeared to be more accepted by his father than his mother. This, he surmised, might be because he was emulating his father’s actions and striving to engage in similar activities. On the other hand, Cher, who had always seen Chaz as her daughter, may have experienced a dissonance between her expectations of her child’s behavior and the reality of Chaz’s true identity.
During the same Oprah Winfrey interview, as detailed by the Daily Mail, Chaz candidly shared how coming out as a lesbian woman had initially seemed to be a suitable path, albeit for a limited time. However, as time went on, he gradually recognized that the feelings he harbored were more profound and different from what he had initially assumed. He conveyed:
“I always held this notion that, yes, I wished I were a boy, felt more like a boy, and so on. But I wasn’t, so I thought I’d come to terms with it. I even believed that there were other lesbians who felt the same way, and that it was just a part of that community.”
He continued:
“But then it became evident to me that this wasn’t what being a lesbian truly entailed. What I was experiencing was more aligned with being transgender.”
Chaz’s transition from female to male commenced in mid-2008 and was officially confirmed in June 2009. His publicist, as reported by TV Guide, issued a statement at the time, saying:
“Chaz, after years of thoughtful consideration, has made the courageous decision to embrace his true identity. He takes pride in his choice and appreciates the support and respect shown by his loved ones.”
The statement further expressed the hope that Chaz’s decision to transition would foster understanding and empathy among the general public, much like his earlier coming-out experience had. Chaz’s legal transition was completed in May 2010, marked by his official name change to Chaz Salvatore Bono. Remarkably, the entire journey was documented in the 2011 film titled “Becoming Chaz,” which premiered in 2011. “Becoming Chaz” not only won the top award at the 2012 GLAAD Media Awards but also garnered no less than three Primetime Emmy nominations.
Beyond his journey of transition, Chaz has also grappled with weight-related challenges throughout his life. In 2012, the actor shared with Dr. Travis Stork, co-host of “The Doctors” and an emergency room physician, that in his family, being slender was highly prized during his upbringing. He recounted that even though he was not an overweight child, he was frequently subjected to diets.
Chaz discussed the “persistent pressure to maintain a low weight” during his formative years. However, as he faced periods of struggling with excess weight in his adulthood, he resolved to make a change. As reported by ABC News, Chaz made a commitment to shed pounds when his weight reached 250 pounds in November 2012. His dedication paid off, as by May 2013, he had successfully reduced his weight to 190 pounds.
“I now find genuine satisfaction and comfort in my eating habits, which is nothing short of remarkable, and something I never anticipated for myself,” remarked the then 44-year-old. “I never thought I’d become that kind of person!”
Chaz highlighted that adopting a healthier diet and engaging in regular exercise not only led to physical changes but also significantly boosted his confidence. He began to appreciate the reflection he saw in the mirror and experienced a notable improvement in his self-esteem.
A weight-loss journey can be undertaken for a number of reasons including health, self-image and more, and as long as one’s motivations come from a healthy mindset, the results usually bring about more than just an attractive figure, it can also change one’s mental state and inspire them to keep progressing in other areas of their life. That appears to be the case for Chaz, who, after he reconciled with his identity, moved on to tackling his weight, and ever since, his acting career has gone from strength to strength.
Since Chaz began living authentically, his career has experienced a remarkable upturn. In 2020, he took on a role in the mockumentary film “Reboot Camp,” which received the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival. This comedy revolves around two brothers who create a fictitious self-help group that unexpectedly gains tremendous popularity. In the film, Chaz portrays the character Herbie, a role that The Austin Chronicle found to bear some resemblance to his character Gary Longstreet in “American Horror Story: Cult.” Chaz shared his perspective with the news outlet:
“Herbie seemed, in a peculiar way, like an extension of the character I played in American Horror Story… While Herbie is comical and obviously not a murderer, I approached it with the mindset of becoming wholly immersed and devoted, giving my all to the role.”
He explained that despite the apparent disparity between comedy and horror, he, as an actor, doesn’t perceive a significant distinction between the two genres:
“The key is unwavering commitment to the performance… because without it, it feels artificial. With dedication, it resonates.”
In addition to his role in “Reboot Camp,” Chaz was among the notable trans actors featured in Netflix’s 2020 documentary, “Disclosure.” The documentary delves into Hollywood’s portrayal of transgender individuals throughout the years and its influence on American culture. In a 2020 Instagram post, Chaz expressed his pride:
“I’m immensely proud to be one of the many talented trans actors interviewed in this incredible documentary. ‘Disclosure’ explores depictions of transgender individuals in media, tracing them back to the silent film era.”
On top of Chaz’s acting career and weight loss journey, he’s also found love in the last few years. Since 2017, Chaz has been in a relationship with Shara Blue, a former actress who’s now focused on charity work. Although Blue’s acting career was short-lived, she did appear in the 1980s television series “It’s Your Move” alongside Jason Bateman when she was just 15-years-old.
Chaz first met the 52-year-old mother of one in Spring 2017, but sources told the Daily Mail that Blue wasn’t interested in a relationship with anyone at the time. However, the two must have clicked, as mere months later a romance blossomed between them. The news outlet reported that the couple had a fair amount in common with one another, including having both grown up in the entertainment industry and suffered from drug addictions. But the pair each overcame their demons and have found support and happiness together.
What’s more, each other’s family members approve of their union. Blue was invited to Chaz’s grandmother, Georgia Holt’s 91st birthday celebration in June 2017. The couple also flew together to Adelaide, Australia in 2018, where they attended Cher’s concert. Meanwhile, Blue’s nearly 21-year-old son Cooper is the most important person in her life and Chaz and him have gotten along really well, the news outlet reported. The source told the Daily Mail:
“When they are in the US they make a point to see one another’s families. That is so important to them. Cher and her mom Georgia are treating Shara like family. They are delighted Chaz has found someone who makes him happy.”
Describing the Strong Bond of Chaz Bono and Shara Blue Amidst Life’s Challenges
An inside source commended the couple, emphasizing their incredible teamwork and their extensive travels together across the globe. Unfortunately, Shara Blue is facing her own ordeal as she battles stage three breast cancer. The former actress has maintained an open and courageous presence on social media to share her journey.
In early October, she posted a video wherein a friend helped her shave her head, a consequence of chemotherapy-induced hair loss. Her caption for the post read, “Hair battle complete! #freedom #gratitude #newbeginnings.” In a late September post, she expressed her gratitude for Chaz, who had taken her out for a birthday dinner. She wrote:
“My love @therealchazbono treated me to an evening at Geoffreys in Malibu… While I received some beautiful gifts, the greatest gift is the gift of life. We savored each other’s company as we drove alongside the ocean!”
In December, Chaz shared an Instagram photo of the couple, accompanied by a touching caption:
“I cherish this image of @sharablue and me. It somehow captures the remarkable strength and grace that Shara has demonstrated throughout her battle with breast cancer this year, and how deeply I adore her while endeavoring to be a supportive and loving partner.”
The couple exudes happiness and enjoys unwavering support from each other’s families. Witnessing Chaz find love and contentment after enduring life’s challenges is heartwarming. We extend our best wishes to Shara Blue in her ongoing fight against cancer and look forward to witnessing more heartwarming moments from this devoted couple in the future.
Are you an admirer of Chaz Bono? Were you aware of the numerous challenges he has triumphed over in his life? Did you also have knowledge of his partner, Shara Blue? Feel free to share your thoughts, and don’t forget to pass this along to enlighten others as well!
