Filipino international singer-actress Lea Salonga has confirmed that she and her husband, American businessman Robert Chien, have been separated for some time.
Salonga made the revelation during a media conference for ‘Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular’, where she plays Madame Thénardier. The topic surfaced as she spoke about co-parenting and supporting their only child, transman actor Nic Chien.
“He has so much support. We’re both super busy but, thankfully, the dad and dad’s partner are the ones kind of ‘Pag may sipon ka, it’s here, let’s send you food. Let’s make sure that you’re well,’” Salonga shared.
She then addressed her marital status directly.
“Yes. So, yes, it’s not a secret. I am… yeah, we’ve been separated for a while,” Salonga said. “And now he’s happy and I am happy that he’s happy.”
Salonga did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding their separation or when it exactly happened.
Salonga and Chien were married on January 10, 2007, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, California.
The actress has been vocal about parenting and unconditional love, particularly in relation to Nic’s gender journey. In previous interviews, she emphasized that love for a child should never be conditional.
“The one duty every parent has is to love their child unconditionally,” Salonga said in an earlier interview recorded by entertainment journalist MJ Marfori.
“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 and say ‘mom, I’m gay,’ or ‘mom, I’m lesbian,’ or ‘mom, I’m bisexual,’ ‘mom, I’m trans’ — if under those conditions your love will stop, don’t have children,” she said.
“Save yourself the drama. Save yourself the heartbreak,” she added.
Salonga also likened having children to an unpredictable experience.
“Kasi kung hindi mo kaya, wag na lang because children are not customizable. It’s not like — every kid is a blind box. It’s a blind box. You don’t know what you’re going to get,” she said.
