Chaz Salvatore Bono is an actor, writer, musician, and LGBTQ+ activist. After coming out twice - once as a lesbian and another as a transgender man - he’s spent most of his life helping others. Chaz is becoming a leader in the LGBTQ+ community.
Chaz Bono has had a long journey. He has needed some time to show the world who he truly is. He originally began identifying as a man at a young age but was terrified to come out, especially after being outed as a lesbian by the tabloids. His mother (who we will talk about later) was an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and an icon. She still struggled when Chaz came out as a lesbian to her. It took her a year to accept it. So, it’s understandable that Chaz was hesitant to come out a second time to mom and the world.
In 2008, Chaz finally began his transition into his true self. Since then, he has fought for LGBTQ+ rights and is a leading voice for transgender people around the world.
15 He's The Son Of Sonny And Cher
Chaz is the only child of the famous pop duo, Sonny and Cher. It must be really strange to see so many people dressed up as his mother and father on Halloween...and on RuPaul’s Drag Race. He’s the eldest child of Cher. He has a half-brother named Elijah Blue Allman, who is also a musician.
14 Chaz Performed As A Child
Since his parents were Sonny and Cher, Chaz was on his parent's show often. When they couldn’t find a babysitter, Chaz came to the set. Since he was on set anyway, he might as well be featured in an episode, right? This might have been where Chaz fell in love with performing for the first time.
13 He Was On Dancing With The Stars
Chaz competed in the 13th season of Dancing with the Stars. His partner was Lacey Schwimmer. They sadly were eliminated during the sixth week. Despite not winning the mirror ball trophy, it was a historic moment for television. It was the first time a transgender man starred on a network television show, without the show being about transgender issues.
12 He Was In American Horror Story
Chaz was in American Horror Story: Roanoke as Lot Polk and Brian Wells. He was also in American Horror Story: Cult as Gary K. Longstreet. As Ryan Murphy likes to use the same actors and actresses, it won’t be a surprise to see Chaz in other seasons of the show.
11 He's Friends With Jennifer Aniston
Chaz became friends with Jennifer Aniston when they were in high school together. While we don’t know if they kept in touch, they must have run into each other over the years at industry events. Both of them are actors, so it's safe to say that they have seen each other at an Emmy Awards afterparty or some other elite event.
10 He's A Published Author
Chaz has currently written four books, all of which are non-fiction. His four books are biographies about his life, documenting coming out, personal tragedy and triumphs, and his transition. Personally, we think Chaz’s next book should be written with his mother, about her life. Maybe a biography about his father, Sonny, is in order?
9 He Was In A Band
Chaz was in a band for a little while. In 1988, he was a member of the band, Ceremony. Chaz was the lead vocalist in the group. He also played acoustic guitar and additional percussion. They released one album together. called "Hang Out Your Poetry", in 1993. His parents sang background for one album track, “Livin’ It Up”.
8 He Produced An Emmy Award-Winning Documentary
Chaz produced and starred in an Emmy-nominated documentary called Becoming Chaz. The film documented his transition from female to male. The film premiered at Sundance in 2011 and was released on Oxygen the same year. The film was nominated for three Emmy awards.
7 He's Friends With Lisa Marie Presley
Chaz is close friends with Lisa Marie Presley. She’s the only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. As Chaz also has famous parents, it’s clear they have a lot in common. The two of them can relate and understand each other in ways that most people can’t.
6 He Was In Soaps
Chaz, like many actors, was in soap operas. He was in five episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful in 2016. He played Reverend Rydale. How many confession scenes did he have to do that season? It was either that or scenes where he listened to marriage vows.
5 He's A Spokesperson For GLAAD
Chaz is an LGBTQ+ activist. He is a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign. In 2016, Chaz, along with other celebrities, told the story of the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. He did this as part of the Human Rights Campaign. He promoted National Coming Out Day, campaigned against the Defense of Marriage Act, and was the Entertainment Media Director for GLAAD.
4 He Studied Acting At Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop
In 2012, Chaz decided to go into acting. He studied at Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop in Los Angeles. As someone with famous parents, he could have had his mother make some phone calls. However, Chaz wanted to do it on his own and put in the hard work.
3 He Was A Writer For The Advocate
Chaz was a writer for The Advocate, which is a news website and magazine for LGBTQ+ news. He wrote for that publication for several years. He was featured on the cover in 1995 when he came out as a lesbian in an interview. He was featured on the cover again in 2011 when he came out as transgender.
2 His Parents Named Him After A Movie
Chaz’s birth name was actually Chastity Sun Bono, after the character Cher played in Chastity. It was Cher’s first dramatic film role. The movie is about a girl named Chastity who goes on a cross country road trip to find love and figure out who she is. It was written by Chaz’s father, Sonny.
1 He Chose His Middle Name In Honor Of His Father
Chaz’s full name is Chaz Salvatore Bono, which is a bit different than the name his parents gave him. Chaz picked his middle name to honor his father. Salvatore was Sonny’s birth name. Salvatore got the nickname, Sonny, from his mother. She called him “Sono” as a term of endearment. It later evolved into Sonny.