Ronnabelle Lora

Lea Salonga shares how she supported her child Nic Chien into transitioning

Article (news)

Peter Andrew Acierto

Push Team

<p>Award-winning musical actress Lea Salonga and her child Nic Chien were featured in an article by PEOPLE magazine for the month of April. The mother and son tandem shared how theater helped the transitioning of the latter become easier.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DH8-azYpFmU/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A719365.4000000954%2C%22ls%22%3A719137.3000000715%2C%22le%22%3A719145.3000000715%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="0" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px;min-width:326px;padding:0px;position:absolute"></iframe></div><blockquote class=" instagram-media-registered" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DH8-azYpFmU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" id="instagram-media-payload-0" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DH8-azYpFmU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"><br/></div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><br/></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;line-height:18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"><br/></div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"><br/></div></div></a><div style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DH8-azYpFmU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Lea Salonga (@msleasalonga)</a></div></div></blockquote><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Nic is a proud transgender and has transitioned to who he really is with the help of his parents. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/2/10/lea-salonga-s-child-nic-chien-joins-cast-of-into-the-woods-as-jack-1612"><strong>READ: Lea Salonga’s child Nic Chien joins cast of ‘Into The Woods’ as Jack</strong></a></div><p>In the interview, Nic shared that it was the “most ideal situation” for him when he came out as part of the LGBTQIA+ member to his parents. It was when he was 14 years old when he began figuring things out. </p><p>“She didn’t want my life to be as hard as it would be. This was the most ideal situation for me… It was rough,” Nic told PEOPLE.</p><p>For Lea, she placed an emphasis on parents having to raise a child the way they needed to be raised. She expressed how she wanted nothing but success for her son and is ready to support him at any time. </p><p>“Musical theater is quite an unpredictable, sometimes think-on-your-feet type of art form. I’ve learned how to raise a child who is their own being. I mean, there are obviously expectations. I’m glad this kid can cook and do his own laundry and doesn’t forget to feed the cat,” she shared.</p><p>“But the one thing I’ve learned is that you have to raise your child the way your child needs to be raised,” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/events/2025/1/17/lea-salonga-is-the-witch-in-ph-production-of-into-the-woods-1136"><strong>READ: Lea Salonga is The Witch in PH production of &#x27;Into The Woods&#x27;</strong></a></div><p>Lea maintained that she, alongside Nic’s father, will always be behind him as he figures out his identity.</p><p>“As a parent I want to set my child up for success. I want my child to feel safe and strong and ready to conquer the world on their own terms,” she said.</p><p>For Nic, he admitted that he sometimes has the feeling of being alone but seeing his parents be supportive really is a huge help for him.</p><p>“Sometimes I feel alone, but I’m not… It does really help to have people in your corner,” he maintained.</p><p>Meanwhile, Lea and Nic are set to reunite on stage as Theater Group Asia brings<em> Into The Woods </em>to the country on a limited engagement run from August 7 until August 24. Nic will be playing Jack while Lea will be The Witch. </p>