They’ll be back! Since Arnold Schwarzenegger burst on the scene in the 1980s, his family has gone on to become one of the most successful — and recognizable — clans in Hollywood.
Three of the Terminator star’s five children have followed in his footsteps and made names for themselves in the entertainment industry: Katherine Schwarzenegger, a self-help and children’s book author; Christina Schwarzenegger, an up-and-coming producer; and Patrick Schwarzenegger, an actor and model.
Maria Shriver, who was married to Arnold for 25 years, is famous in her own right too. After volunteering for her father Sargent Shriver’s 1972 vice presidential campaign, the niece of the late President John F. Kennedy became a broadcast journalist. With Emmy and Peabody Awards under her belt, she has coanchored shows including Sunday Today, NBC Nightly News and Dateline in addition to covering the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
Arnold and Maria are also the parents of Christopher Schwarzenegger. Additionally, the former California governor has a third son, Joseph Baena, whom he shares with the family’s former housekeeper Mildred “Patty” Baena. Their affair prompted the journalist to file for divorce from the Twins actor in July 2011. Us Weekly confirmed in December 2021 that the proceedings were finalized.
The FUBAR actor discussed his affair in the 2023 Netflix docuseries Arnold, revealing that he and Maria went to couples’ counseling “once a week” amid the scandal. It was during one of those sessions that he confessed to her that he was Joseph’s father.
“I thought my heart stopped, and then I told the truth,” he recalled of the moment, adding, “She was crushed because of that.”
He went on to note that he felt “reluctant” to speak out about the situation. “Everyone had to suffer. Maria had to suffer. The kids had to suffer. Joseph. His mother. Everyone,” he said on the series. “I am going to have to live with it the rest of my life.”
He previously opened up about his well-known family during a 2015 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, saying his five children “just do their own thing.” And while many of them have chosen to pursue careers in the public eye, the patriarch promised to give them two thumbs-up regardless.
“I made it very clear to my kids: I don’t care if they’re a plumber, if they’re a writer or if they’re a teacher,” he said on the SiriusXM talk show at the time. “Whatever they want to do, [I will support them], as long as they’re passionate.”
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