The movie star’s son hid with his mother after the media uncovered his father’s identity. He remained a secret for over a decade until the actor finally revealed the truth to his now-ex-wife.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s love child, Joseph Baena, was reportedly not invited to his half-sister’s wedding. His relationship with his four half-siblings remains a subject of speculation.
Joseph’s complicated family dynamic stems from Arnold’s long-standing marriage to journalist Maria Shriver, which began in April 1986.
The couple welcomed their first child, Katherine, in December 1989, followed by Christina in July 1991, Patrick in September 1993, and Christopher in September 1997. Years later, it was revealed that their youngest half-sibling, Joseph, was born in October 1997.Joseph’s arrival was the result of Arnold’s affair with Mildred Baena, the family’s housekeeper. In his 2012 memoir, “Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story,” he admitted to sleeping with her in 1996 in the guesthouse of his Pacific Palisades home while Maria was on vacation with their children.
Joseph’s birth initially went unquestioned, as Mildred listed her husband, Rogelio Baena, as the father, and Arnold admitted that he “wanted” to believe it. However, as Joseph grew older, his resemblance to the “Terminator” star became undeniable.
By the time he turned eight, the actor realized the truth — his son bore an uncanny likeness to him. As Joseph’s resemblance to Arnold became more apparent, Maria grew suspicious. Her doubts reached a breaking point when she confronted Mildred, who had worked for the family for almost 20 years and had even invited Maria to Joseph’s christening.
That changed in 2011 when the Los Angeles Times exposed the story, igniting a media frenzy. The revelation deeply affected Arnold’s family.
In the wake of the scandal, he addressed Maria and their children directly, expressing remorse for his actions. The father of five stated that he was “truly sorry” for the affair with Mildred, acknowledging the pain he had caused.
As Arnold publicly acknowledged his mistakes, Joseph’s world was also turned upside down. In an interview, he recalled the moment his life changed forever.
“I remember the day very vividly,” he shared. “I was in the eighth grade. Fifth or sixth period. And I get called out of class to leave. And my mom’s there, and she’s like, ‘We gotta go — everyone is finding out about you and who your father is.'”
