Lea Salonga reveals she's been separated from husband 'for a while'

Lea Salonga has revealed that she and her husband, Robert Chien, have separated.

The renowned Filipina theater actress shared this during the media conference of the "Les Miserables World Tour Spectacular" in Parañaque City on Wednesday while talking about raising children with unconditional love, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Lea and Robert's child, Nic Chien, figured out he was transmasculine at age 14 and started taking testosterone last year.

As Nic works on his acting career, Lea said both of them are busy.

"But thankful the dad and dad’s partner are the ones... 'pag may sipon ka, 'Here I will send you food. I will make sure you are well,'" she said in an interview with entertainment journalist MJ Marfori, posted on her TikTok account.

"It's not a secret we have been separated for a while. He is happy and I am happy he is happy,” Lea added.

In April 2025, Lea and Nic made a splash when they appeared in the cover of People Magazine and opened up about their "emotional" transition journey.

Nic went on to play the role of Jack in the Manila staging of "Into the Woods," which also starred Lea.

In November, Nic shared the results of his top surgery and thanked his parents Lea and Robert for their support. 

According to Lea, "the one duty every parent has is to love their child unconditionally." 

"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, as captured in another video posted by Marfori on TikTok.

"Save yourself the drama. Save yourself the heartbreak," she added.

"Kasi kung hindi mo kaya, wag na lang because children are not customizable. It's not like — every kid is a blind box. Let's use those terms. It's a blind box. You don't know what you're going to get. You don't know if it's going to be the one you want, because chances are, it's going to be what you don't want but that's what you get," she added. —JCB/LA, GMA Integrated News