When his affair was revealed, the renowned actor and former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was embroiled in a public scandal that rocked his reputation and career. In addition to creating a media frenzy, the disclosure of his adultery had serious emotional and professional repercussions.
1. Arnold And Maria
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver seemed like the perfect fusion of brains and brawn. Schwarzenegger even called Shriver “the perfect wife”.
2. Terminator, The Iconic Movie
He was a bodybuilder turned Hollywood action hero. He starred in Terminator, Conan, the Barbarian, and Kindergarten Cop.
3. Who Is Maria Shriver?
She was an award-winning journalist and news anchor. Moreover, she was a member of the prestigious Kennedy family.
4. Two Love Birds
They met in 1977 at a tennis tournament and got married in 1986. The Predator star and the journalist were introduced by a mutual friend.
5. They Started A Beautiful Family
Schwarzenegger and Shriver soon began expanding their family. Over their 25 years of marriage, they had four children together: Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher.
6. Politics
As Arnold transitioned from Hollywood to the world of politics, Maria stood by him and supported him throughout his new career. Even when his political ambitions clashed with her journalistic ethics.
7. Arnold’s Career
After the actor beat out former governor Gray Davis in a momentous recall election, he was sworn in as the 38th governor of California. And his wife, Maria, was right there by his side in Sacramento.
8. The Infidelity
But in 2011, the solid foundations of their relationship came crashing down when Arnold’s infidelity was exposed. It came out that Arnold had fathered a child with their former housekeeper, Mildred Patricia Baena, known as Patty.
9. Payin The Piper
His whole world was falling apart and everybody wanted a front-row seat. But Arnold wanted to face the consequences of his actions.
10. Not Just A Fling
The affair wasn’t just a one-time thing. It was an ongoing relationship that spanned several years and resulted in a secret baby.
11. Joseph Is Here Now
The son, Joseph, was born in 1997, while Mildred was still working for the family. And he was born on the same week as Christopher, Arnold’s child with Maria.
12. The Scandal
The affair took place under the same roof where his wife and children lived. This added an extra layer of betrayal to the scandal.
13. Like Father Like Son
As the boy grew older, his physical resemblance to Arnold raised suspicions in his close circles. But it was never publicly acknowledged.
14. He Stepped Up
Even Arnold only learned of the truth when Joseph was 8. In addition to the salary he was paying his mother, he supported his son financially.
15. Confessing The Truth
Arnold came clean during a marriage counseling session he and Maria attended. The counselor told him that Maria was questioning if the housekeeper’s boy was his son.
16. The Divorce
Maria had confronted him about it before, but he denied it. So, she filed for divorce soon after.
17. Family Reunion
Arnold had to sit down with his children and explain the situation to them. Arnold stated: “All of the kids were crying. And Maria was saying “go ahead, just express yourselves, kids. I think Daddy needs to hear that”.
18. The Apology
Days later, he publicly apologized for the affair. Plus, he wrote in a statement: “There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children, and my family.”
19. An Honest Mistake
He said that one stupid mistake, that maybe you think is good at that moment, can really destroy a lot of things and can hurt a lot of people who don’t deserve to be hurt like that. I mean, Maria does not deserve to be hurt like that”.
20. Smearing His Reputation
Before then, Arnold had a reputation as a dedicated family man and a committed public servant. He had just ended his term as California’s governor and was planning his return to Hollywood.
21. Repentance
Arnold expressed once to a magazine: “I apologized many times to her, asked her for forgiveness. And I hope that down the line she will be able to forgive me for that”.
22. Father-Son Relationship
Despite the remorse he feels, Arnold is proud of his son Joseph and emphasizes that he is wholeheartedly welcomed and loved. Joseph is now 25. Like his father, he has a passion for bodybuilding.
23. Family Ties
The two look strikingly similar and share a close father-son bond. However, Joseph and Arnold’s other children are not in contact with each other.
24. Coming Clean
In a 2023 Netflix mini-series, Arnold opens up about his difficult upbringing in Austria. His family was very poor, and his father, a former Nazi cop, was physically and emotionally abusive.
25. A Troubled Childhood
The actor once stated that due to his problematic family, he wanted to get away as fast as he could and showed them what he could do. Arnold was determined to become successful and turn his life around.
26. Arnold, The Bodybuilder
He began weight training at 15 with the intention of becoming a famous bodybuilder. By the age of 20, he had won the title of Mr Universe, becoming the youngest ever to achieve this.
27. Welcome To The U.S.A.
At age 21, he had the opportunity to move to the United States. He was so desperate to escape Austria that he took it, despite not speaking English.
28. The Early Years
Once in the US, He continued to compete in bodybuilding competitions, enrolled in English classes and took acting lessons. And he even educated himself about American culture.
29. The Action Star
He became one of the highest-paid actors in action movies and later went on to serve two terms as governor of California. In 2011, he reached his term limit as governor and returned to acting.
30. The Terminator Franchise
In 2010, Schwarzenegger appeared in Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables, where he made a cameo appearance. Then he returned to the Terminator franchise with Terminator: Dark Fate, which was released on November 1, 2019.
