It's No Longer A Secret That Former Actress Shara Blue Is Chaz Bono's Partner

Dec 30, 2021

Chaz Bono, 55, is the only child of the singing duo Sonny & Cher. But although the world first got to know Chaz as a young bright-eyed girl named Chastity when he appeared on his parents' television show, "The Sonny & Cher Show," years later Chaz stepped out of his parents' shadow and built a solid career for himself. A writer, musician and actor, Chaz has been an activist in the LGBT community ever since he first came out in 1995. 

Now a household name in showbiz, the actor has had to overcome many obstacles before establishing himself in the world today. After undergoing his own health issues, he became outspoken on the topic of body image, as well as addiction, with which he struggled for a period of his life. Chaz is open and honest with the public about his past in the hope that his story might help others. 

While Chaz's early life might have revolved around his famous parents, nowadays he's busy with projects of his own and has built a name for himself in the industry. In recent years, Chaz has appeared in Hollywood shows such as "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Bold and the Beautiful" and multiple editions of "American Horror Story." Last year, he also starred in a documentary about transgender lives onscreen and a mockumentary about a fake self-help guru.

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.

Chaz was born Chastity Sun Bono to the late Sonny Bono and Cher on March 4, 1969, in Los Angeles, California. His parents were famous as the singing duo Sonny & Cher when he came into the world, so it's no surprise to learn that Chaz's life story was made public from a young age, despite the fact he didn't necessarily desire the spotlight. This could have likely made his journey to self-understanding and acceptance even harder.

Seen as the cherubic-looking child of the hippie couple, Chaz later recalled feeling different from the girls in his class, and by 18 he had come out as a lesbian to his parents. In his autobiography, "Family Outing," Chaz wrote:

"... as a child, I always felt there was something different about me. I'd look at other girls my age and feel perplexed by their obvious interest in the latest fashion, which boy in class was the cutest, and who looked the most like cover girl Christie Brinkley. When I was 13, I finally found a name for exactly how I was different. I realized I was gay."

By 1995 when Chaz was in his mid-20s, he publicly came out in an interview with The Advocate. In his autobiography, he said that his coming out "catapulted me into a political role that has transformed my life, providing me with affirmation as a lesbian, as a woman, and as an individual."

Despite the fact that Cher had been a gay icon and ally of the LGBT community for a long time, Chaz revealed that his mom wasn't comfortable with the news at first but eventually she came to terms with it. One year after Chaz's coming out, Cher appeared on the cover of The Advocate as a proud mom of a lesbian daughter.

After being an LGBT advocate for over a decade, Chaz came out once again — this time as a transgender man. Chaz spoke with Oprah Winfrey in a 2011 interview, in which he opened up about his journey and when he knew that he didn't feel like he was born in the right body. 

He explained that as a young child, it was always clear for him that he felt like a boy and that all of his friends were boys. But it wasn't until puberty hit that he began to really struggle with his female body. He told Winfrey:

"As I got older and especially going into puberty, it felt like the expectations around me started to change or how I was supposed to act but it also felt as if my body was like literally betraying me because I went from a very athletic, you know, straight up and down little kid to a very curvaceous woman and it was just horrifying to me." 

He added: 

"You have this image of yourself and all of a sudden your body does the exact opposite of what you feel."

Chaz went on to describe that he felt his boyish ways as a child were more accepted by his father than his mother but explained that it's probably because he was trying to emulate his father and do all of the same things, whereas Cher, who saw Chaz as her little girl, probably experienced a disconnect between what she expected her daughter to act like and what was the reality. 

In the same interview with Winfrey, as reported by the Daily Mail, Chaz opened up and said that coming out as a lesbian woman "worked for a little while" but later on he began to realize that what he was feeling was something else. He said:

"I always had this idea that, sure, I wished I was a boy and felt more like a boy and all of that. But I wasn't, so I would deal with it. And I for some reason thought there were other lesbians that felt that way and that was just part of that community."

He added:

"Then I started to realize, no, that isn't what a lesbian is at all. That's what being transgender is." 

Chaz's transition from female to male began in mid-2008 and was confirmed in June 2009. His publicist said at the time, as reported by TV Guide:

"Chaz, after many years of consideration, has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity. He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones." 

They went on to say, "It is Chaz's hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his coming out did." Chaz's legal transition was completed in May 2010, which is when he legally changed his name to Chaz Salvatore Bono. The actor even had the whole transition documented in a 2011 film titled "Becoming Chaz," which was released the following year in 2011. "Becoming Chaz" went on to clinch the top prize for the 2012 GLAAD Media Awards as well as no less than three Primetime Emmy nominations. 

Aside from his transition journey, Chaz has also struggled with his weight over the years. Back in 2012, the actor told Dr. Travis Stork — "The Doctors" co-host and an ER physician — that being skinny was “prized above all else” in his family when he was growing up. He explained that even though he “wasn’t an overweight child,” he was still “put on diets all the time.” 

Chaz spoke about the "pressure to be underweight growing up" but after periods of struggling with being overweight in his adulthood, he wanted to make a change. According to ABC News, Chaz vowed to start losing weight when he tipped the scales at 250 pounds back in Nov. 2012. And he succeeded — by May 2013, he was down to 190 pounds. 

"I really feel very satisfied and comfortable with the way I eat now, which is amazing, and for me, kind of a miracle," the then 44-year-old said. "I never thought I'd be that kind of a person!" 

The star noted that eating healthier and exercising also gave him “a lot more confidence,” and he started to “really like what (he sees) in the mirror.” 

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 has been living his truth, his career has never been better. In 2020 he starred in a mockumentary film called "Reboot Camp," which won the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival. "Reboot Camp" is a comedy that follows two brothers who create a fake self-help group that unexpectedly becomes really successful. In the movie, Chaz plays Herbie, a character that The Austin Chronicle described “isn’t too far off” from his character in "American Horror Story: Cult," Gary Longstreet. Chaz told the news outlet: 

"Herbie just seemed like, in a strange way, an extension of the character that I played in American Horror Story ... Herbie was kind of silly and didn't, obviously, kill people, but I went into it with that kind of mindset of just getting completely ensnared and moved, just, you know, being so gung-ho in there."

He explained that despite how seemingly different comedy and horror are, as an actor, Chaz doesn't see a big difference in the two genres:

"The key is just being really committed to (the performance) ... because if you're not, it's fake. And if you are, it works."

On top of his work in "Reboot Camp," Chaz was one of many trans men and women to appear in Netflix's 2020 documentary "Disclosure," which looks at Hollywood's depiction of transgender people over the years and how that's impacted American culture. In an Instagram post from last year, Chaz wrote:

"I’m so proud to be one of so many talented trans actors interviewed in this amazing documentary. Disclosure looks at transgender depictions in media going 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."

The insider called the couple "a great team" and spoke of their travels all around the world together. But tragically, Blue is undergoing hardship of her own — she's currently battling stage three breast cancer. The former actress has been vocal about her journey on social media.

In early October she posted a video in which she had her head shaved by a friend after her hair began to fall out due to chemotherapy. She captioned the post, "Yeah that’s a wrap on the hair battle! #freedom #grateful #newchapter" In another post from late September, she revealed that Chaz had taken her out for a birthday dinner. She wrote:

"My babe @therealchazbono took me out to geoffreys tonight in Malibu ... I received some lovely gifts but the best gift is being alive. We enjoyed each other as we drove alongside the ocean!"

In December, Chaz shared a photo of the couple on his own Instagram. The moving caption read:

"I love this picture of @sharablue and I. I think it somehow captures the incredible strength and dignity Shara’s embodied throughout her breast cancer treatments this year, and how much I absolutely adore her and have tried to be a loving supportive partner."

The couple appears to be incredibly happy and they have the full support of each other's families. To see Chaz in love after everything he's been through is incredibly heartwarming. We wish Blue all the best in her ongoing battle with cancer and we hope to see more of the two lovebirds in the future.

Are you a fan of Chaz Bono? Did you know about all of the struggles he's overcome in his life? Did you know about his partner Shara Blue? Let us know, then pass this on so others can read about it too!