The movie star’s son lived in secrecy with his mother after the media exposed his father’s identity. He remained unknown to the public for over a decade until the actor finally confessed the truth to his then-wife.
Joseph Baena, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son from an affair, was allegedly not invited to his half-sister’s wedding. His dynamic with his four half-siblings continues to spark curiosity and speculation.
Joseph’s complex family dynamic originates from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s decades-long marriage to journalist Maria Shriver, which began in April 1986.
The couple had four children together: Katherine in December 1989, Christina in July 1991, Patrick in September 1993, and Christopher in September 1997. However, years later, it was revealed that their youngest half-sibling, Joseph, was also born in October 1997.
Joseph’s birth was the result of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s affair with Mildred Baena, the family’s housekeeper. In his 2012 memoir, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story, he confessed to the affair, revealing that he had slept with Mildred in 1996 in the guesthouse of his Pacific Palisades home while Maria was away on vacation with their children.
Joseph’s birth initially raised no suspicions, as Mildred Baena listed her husband, Rogelio Baena, as the father. Arnold admitted that he “wanted” to believe this was true. However, as Joseph grew older, his striking resemblance to the Terminator star became impossible to ignore.
By the time Joseph turned eight, Arnold could no longer deny the truth—his son bore an undeniable resemblance to him. As Joseph grew older, Maria also became suspicious. Her doubts eventually reached a breaking point when she confronted Mildred, who had been a longtime employee of the family for nearly 20 years and had even invited Maria to Joseph’s christening.
Overcome with emotion, Mildred broke down in tears as she confessed the truth. Despite the heartbreaking betrayal, Maria urged her not to leave right away. Seeking clarity, Maria confronted Arnold during a couples therapy session, a moment that would prove to be a turning point in their marriage.
In his memoir, Arnold recalled the pivotal exchange: “The minute we sat down, the therapist turned to me and said, ‘Maria wanted to come here today and ask about a child—whether you fathered a child with your housekeeper, Mildred.'”
Without hesitation, Arnold confessed, “I told the therapist, ‘It’s true.'” He initially tried to justify keeping Joseph a secret by giving Maria what he later admitted were three “lame” excuses.
He cited embarrassment, a deep-seated need for secrecy, and a desire to prevent her from telling her influential family. For 15 years, the affair remained hidden, known only to those directly involved.
Everything changed in 2011 when the Los Angeles Times exposed the story, sparking a media frenzy. The revelation sent shockwaves through Arnold’s family.
In the aftermath of the scandal, he directly addressed Maria and their children, expressing deep remorse for his actions. The father of five publicly stated that he was “truly sorry” for the affair with Mildred, fully 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.'”
Their home quickly became a target, with news trucks lining the street and photographers hounding them relentlessly. At just 13, Joseph was already facing the challenges of adolescence, but overnight, his entire world was upended.
To escape the media frenzy, he and Mildred fled to Texas, seeking refuge with family. Despite the turmoil, they found comfort in each other’s company. “She was really the only person I had, and I was really the only person that she had,” Joseph explained. “No one knew, and everyone wanted the details. We had each other’s backs.”
As Joseph and Mildred sought privacy, the fallout continued to reshape the Schwarzenegger family. Maria separated from Arnold shortly after the affair and Joseph’s parentage became public, marking the end of their 25-year marriage.
The separation was not just a turning point for their family but also a profoundly painful chapter in Arnold’s life. In an interview on The Howard Stern Show podcast, he reflected on the impact of their split, calling it “without any doubt, the biggest setback and the biggest failure.”
The former California governor acknowledged that it wasn’t just a failure, but also a moment of personal accountability. He admitted that he alone was to blame, with no one else to fault for what had happened.
Arnold continued to reflect on the consequences of his actions in the years that followed. In a 2017 interview, he described the affair and its aftermath as a “major screw-up.”
Maria’s divorce filing was finalized in December 2021, with little legal activity in between. The settlement details remain private, and since their children are now adults, no custody or child support was required.
Although their marriage ended, Arnold and Maria have managed to maintain a friendship, and his relationship with their children remains strong. They have continued to support him, with some even praising him as the “greatest dad.”
The businessman has also shared that Joseph understands the complexities of their family dynamic. However, his relationship with some of his half-siblings remains distant or nonexistent.
This disconnect became particularly evident during major family milestones. When Katherine married actor Chris Pratt in June 2019, Joseph was notably absent from the wedding, while all of his half-siblings were in attendance.
However, he acknowledged the occasion by commenting on Katherine’s Instagram post announcing the news, writing, “Congratulations!” adding two hearts and a champagne-bottle emoji.
The newly-wedded bride’s Instagram followers took notice of Joseph’s absence from her wedding, sparking a wave of reactions in the comments section. Some directly questioned the situation, asking why “Joe wasn’t invited” and whether his exclusion was intentional.
Meanwhile, others expressed disappointment, with one remarking that “Arnold is the only one that acknowledges him” and describing the situation as “heartbreaking.”
A few commenters sympathized with Joseph, urging him to “keep his head up” while criticizing his half-siblings for how they had treated him. Another pointed out that “Joseph seems like such a nice kid” and argued that as “professing Christians,” his brothers and sisters should have shown more acceptance toward him as their “own flesh and blood.”
While discussions about his absence circulated online, Joseph appeared unfazed, spending the day focused on his routine. He was reportedly at the gym, with his friend Thomas A.C. Kocer, who shared Instagram Stories of his intense workout at Pepperdine University.
Earlier that year, Joseph had graduated from the school with a business degree, with Arnold providing financial support throughout his education.
Instead of attending the wedding, Joseph was seen at the GO Campaign Presents Vintage Hollywood 2019 event in Los Angeles that same evening. His absence from family gatherings — and even from online interactions — was noticeable.
While he follows Katherine and Patrick on Instagram, neither of them follows him back, including Christina. As for Christopher, he doesn’t have a public account under his name.
The divide became even more apparent on National Siblings Day that same year when Katherine shared a photo with Christina, Patrick, and Christopher — but Joseph was noticeably absent. She captioned the post, “I LOVE THEM SO MUCH #nationalsiblingsday.” The omission did not go unnoticed, and commenters quickly pointed it out.
One social media user remarked that Joseph’s half-siblings never acknowledge him, despite him consistently liking and following their posts. They also noted that while his siblings engage with most of Arnold’s photos, they seem to avoid the ones that include Joseph.
The 27-year-old’s exclusion from family moments reflects a deeper disconnect. A source who has worked with the family revealed that Katherine and Christina “have really no relationship with Joseph,” while Patrick and Christopher have more interaction with him.
Meanwhile, a close family insider mentioned that eight years after the affair was exposed, everyone had been working through the situation and had managed to adjust to a new reality.
Another source explained that they are trying to establish a private relationship before making it public. Patrick and Joseph took a step toward reconnecting in April 2021 when they were seen together for the first time in over a decade since the scandal broke.
The half-brothers bonded over a workout at the Santa Monica Stairs, showcasing their shared passion for fitness — a trait they both inherited from their father. Although Patrick and Joseph’s rare public outing marked a moment of interaction, their family dynamic remained largely unchanged.
By 2023, the distance between Joseph and his other half-siblings remained evident. At the premiere of Arnold’s Netflix series “FUBAR,” he was seen surrounded by his older children, posing affectionately with Christina and Katherine — along with Katherine’s husband, Chris. Joseph was notably absent from this family gathering, further highlighting the divide.
Meanwhile, Joseph attended the event alone. Despite Arnold maintaining a close bond with all five of his children, his four kids with Maria continue to keep their distance from their younger half-brother. This ongoing separation highlights the complexity of their family dynamic.
The distance between Joseph and his half-siblings stands in stark contrast to his strong bond with Arnold. A source close to the veteran star shared that he and Joseph “are very close.”
However, the same insider noted that “the other kids don’t love Joe,” despite Arnold always treating him the same as his other children. “It’s a shame as he’s a really good kid,” the source added, suggesting that his half-siblings still associate him with the affair and continue to keep their distance.
Despite the tension between his kids, Arnold continues to show unwavering support for Joseph. In October 2021, he celebrated his son’s birthday with a heartfelt tribute on X.
Sharing photos of them together, Arnold wrote, “Happy birthday Joseph! I am so proud of you and I love you! You are crushing it in the gym, in your real estate career, and in acting. I know this will be another fantastic year.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, Joseph has built a career in both fitness and entertainment. As a fitness model and actor, he has even appeared on the cover of Men’s Health magazine — a milestone that Arnold himself once achieved.
Joseph Baena embraces his achievements with gratitude, often sharing his milestones with both of his parents. When asked in an interview if he calls Arnold to celebrate his successes, he said that he always enjoys sharing those special moments with them.
Reflecting on Arnold’s reaction to his Men’s Health cover, Joseph explained that his father fully supports his goals, takes pride in his accomplishments, and is always there for him throughout his journey.
