Lea Salonga Says If You Can't Love Your Child For Who They Are, It's Better Not To Have Kids At All

Lea Salonga has always been known for using her voice with purpose, whether it's on a Broadway stage or in real life. This time, the Tony Award-winning performer is speaking up about parenting and what it truly means to show up for your child.

During a media call for Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular held in Parañaque City on January 22, Lea spoke candidly about raising her son, Nic Chien, who is a transgender man. Her message was direct: if your love as a parent comes with conditions, then parenthood may not be for you.

"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 gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans'—if under those conditions your love will stop, do not have children," Lea said. "Save yourself the drama and heartbreak. If hindi mo kaya, 'wag na lang."

For Lea, unconditional love isn't a bonus feature of parenting—it's the bare minimum. She illustrated this with a comparison to a blind box: "Children are not customizable. Every kid is a blind box. You don't know what you will get," she shared.

Rather than seeing this uncertainty as something to fear, Lea frames it as an invitation to meet your child where they are, not where you wish they would be. That philosophy has guided how she and her family have supported Nic throughout his transition.

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

Nic has also been open about what that support has meant to him. On November 17, 2025, during Transgender Awareness Week, he revealed on Instagram that he underwent top surgery in September, describing both the physical difficulty and emotional relief that came with it. "The healing process was brutal! But worth it," Nic wrote.

He also reflected on how not having to wear a binder and no longer fearing judgment significantly improved his mental health, calling the ability to simply exist in his body "one of the most gratifying things EVER." He ended his post by crediting his parents' support as essential to his ability to access gender-affirming care.

Lea's aware that not everyone will agree with the decisions made for Nic's health or his transition, but those opinions don't outweigh her duty as a parent. "My job as his mom was to try and figure out how to get things done," she said. "I have to do what I need to do to help my child."

On the same day, Lea also confirmed that she and her former partner, Robert Chien, have been separated for some time. She didn't go into details about when or why, but emphasized that they've both moved forward peacefully, keeping Nic's well-being as their shared priority.

Currently, Lea is back in the Philippines for the Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular, where she will be portraying Madame Thénardier. The show runs at The Theater at Solaire until March 1.