Chaz Bono has been famous since he was literally a toddler in a polyester jumpsuit. Most people over 40 remember him as the blonde child on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. But if you’re looking for Chaz Bono today, you won’t find a guy resting on his parents' laurels or hiding from his past. He’s busy. Honestly, he’s probably busier than most of the actors half his age in Hollywood right now.
Forget the tabloid drama for a second. Yeah, the headlines love to talk about his relationship with Cher—which has been, let’s say, "complicated" recently—but Chaz has quietly turned himself into a legitimate powerhouse in the indie horror scene.
It’s a weird niche, right? From variety show royalty to the king of "gross-out" cinema. But for Chaz, it makes perfect sense.
The Horror Era: Why Chaz Bono is Obsessed With Scary Movies
If you’ve watched any horror lately, you’ve probably seen Chaz without even realizing it. He isn’t playing the "hero" types. He’s playing the grimy, unsettling characters that make your skin crawl.
Think back to American Horror Story: Cult. He played Gary K. Longstreet, a guy who literally saws his own arm off to go vote. It was brutal. It was also the moment the industry stopped seeing him as a "personality" and started seeing him as a character actor.
Recently, he’s been doubling down.
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- Little Bites (2024): He didn't just act in this; he was an executive producer. The movie is a dark, psychological creature feature that premiered at Beyond Fest.
- Bury the Bride (2023): He played a character named "Puppy." It’s as weird as it sounds.
- The Bell Keeper (2023): Another notch in his belt as Sheriff Carlson.
Why horror? In a recent interview on The Stiletto Room podcast in late 2025, Chaz mentioned that acting essentially saved him. He likes the "unexpected creative playground" of independent film. There’s no pressure to be the "poster boy" for anything when you’re covered in prosthetic blood.
Breaking Down the "Son of Cher" Narrative
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the "Goddess of Pop" in the room.
The media has spent decades obsessed with whether Cher and Chaz are "okay." By the start of 2026, the rumor mill was working overtime because of reports that Chaz had disinvited his mother from his wedding to his longtime partner, Shara Blue Mathes.
Is it true?
The tabloids say they wanted a "simple ceremony" without "Cher's theatrics."
The reality?
Relationships are messy. Especially when your mom is a global icon who was fighting a very public conservatorship battle over your brother, Elijah Blue Allman, throughout 2024 and 2025. Chaz has always been the one to keep his head down. While Cher has supported him at his movie premieres—she was right there on the red carpet for Little Bites in late '24—Chaz is clearly carving out a life that doesn't require her shadow.
Health, Sobriety, and Living at 56
Chaz turned 56 in 2025. He’s been very open about the fact that he didn't even start living his "real" life until he was 40.
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His weight loss journey has been a decade-long saga. Remember Dancing with the Stars in 2011? He was much heavier then. Today, he’s maintained a significantly leaner physique, but he’s stopped talking about it as a "diet." For him, it’s about blood pressure and cholesterol. It’s about being able to move on a film set without pain.
He’s been sober for years, too. That’s a huge part of his story that gets overshadowed by his transition. He often speaks at universities about the intersection of identity and addiction. He’s basically become the mentor he never had when he was a kid struggling in the 70s and 80s.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Advocacy
People think Chaz is just a "trans activist."
He is. But he’s also a writer, a musician, and a producer.
His books like Transition and Family Outing are staples in LGBTQ+ literature, but if you ask him what he's doing now, he’s going to talk about scripts. He’s going to talk about his production company.
He has shifted from being a spokesperson for organizations like GLAAD to being a creator who happens to be trans. That’s a massive distinction. He’s no longer just "explaining" himself to the world; he’s just living.
Chaz Bono Today: What’s Next in 2026?
So, where is he headed?
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His personal life is seemingly more stable than ever. He and Shara Blue Mathes moved into a $2.5 million home recently, moving away from the West Hollywood chaos. They’ve been together for nearly eight years. Shara, a former child actor herself, understands the weirdness of the industry, which probably helps.
On the professional side, expect more grit.
Chaz has found his "tribe" in the horror community. He’s frequently seen at genre festivals and has several unannounced projects in the pipeline for late 2026. He’s leaning into the "producer" title because it gives him control.
What you can do if you're following his journey:
- Watch the Indie Stuff: If you only know him from AHS, check out Little Bites. It shows his range much better than the big-budget stuff.
- Read the Memoirs: If you're struggling with your own identity or sobriety, Transition (2011) is still incredibly relevant. It’s raw in a way most celebrity books aren't.
- Ignore the Tabloid Noise: Don't believe every "source" claiming he hates his mother. Family dynamics are complex, and Chaz has spent his whole life trying to be a person, not a headline.
Chaz Bono has finally escaped the 1970s. He isn't "Chastity" and he isn't just "Cher's kid." He's a 56-year-old man who likes scary movies, values his privacy, and is finally comfortable in his own skin. That’s a win in any book.