Chaz Bono was a male trapped in a female shell for as long as he can remember. Growing up as Sonny and Cher’s adorable golden-haired daughter in a body he felt wasn’t his own was a crucible it took years to transcend. Now, as he undertakes gender reassignment, he’s bravely decided to share the process on camera.

Becoming Chaz invites us along on Chaz’s remarkable journey of transformation. As hormone shots give way to top surgery, down-to-earth, unflappable Chaz beams with a sense of liberation and goes public with his story to put a face on a misunderstood issue. Meanwhile, his gregarious girlfriend grapples with the realities of suddenly living with a man, and it’s clear sex change isn’t solely a physical transition.

Intimate and nakedly honest, the film reveals the humanity and courage it takes for Chaz to ultimately embrace his true self. His moving struggle will reverberate profoundly for anyone to whom authenticity matters. 

This is a story of Chaz Bono's emotional and physical gender transition, a journey of identity and self-discovery. Born Chastity, the only child of the legendary musical team Sonny and Cher, Chaz grew up feeling uncomfortable in the spotlight, struggling to live inside a body that he knew wasn't truly his. Deciding there was no choice but to undergo sex reassignment surgery, Chaz and his girlfriend Jennifer decided to document his deeply personal transformation so that others can learn from his experience.

Directed and produced by veteran Sundance filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, who along with their production company World of Wonder, have been the creative forces behind a long history of powerful, groundbreaking and innovative documentaries and features.

“Becoming Chaz” premiered to rave reviews at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival with the Los Angeles Times calling the film “wildly engaging.” The Hollywood Reporter said, “Becoming Chaz is a real-life look inside the home and hearts of two brave and glorious individuals. Told with finesse, compassion and wit….will hit nerves and touch hearts.” AOL Moviefone called it “an engaging and educational look at one person's journey to make his outsides match his inside,” and CNN called it “incredibly moving.”

In the movie, which chronicles his female-to-male transition, Chaz is shown getting breast removal surgery (which "terrified" mom Cher), and talking about his sex life and his recovery from drug addiction.

Chaz explained to the audience why he chose to do the movie "I wanted to do this because I wanted to help people," he said. "And I knew that...I could put a face on this issue that people just don't understand because it's a hard one to understand. I wanted to be able to change people's hearts and minds on this."

"I've hated my body since puberty," he says in Becoming Chaz, a documentary about his female-to-male transition.

Born Chastity Sun Bono on March 4, 1969
Bono reveals that as a little girl he would go to sleep at night "praying [he'd] wake up as a boy."

Cher admits in the film that she was "terrified" to see Chaz after his breast surgery. She also says she thinks Sonny would have been supportive of Chaz's decision. Chaz's stepmom, Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Bono, attended the Sundance premiere.

When asked by an audience member after the Sundance screening if it was harder being born female or being born famous, Chaz said, "Definitely being born as a woman was a lot harder than being famous. You can figure out how to work that one, but if you're a guy in a woman's body you're just screwed pretty much."

  Many thanks to WOW and OWN.