Arnold Schwarzenegger admits affair with family housekeeper was a ‘f**k up’
Arnold Schwarzenegger has opened up about his affair with his family housekeeper that ended his marriage with Maria Shriver.
During his marriage to Maria Shriver, The Terminator actor had an affair with the family's housekeeper, Mildred Baena, which led to the birth of Schwarzenegger's son, Joseph Baena, in 1997.
Despite initially believing the boy must be the son of Mildred's husband, Schwarzenegger soon realised Joseph must be his, and admitted so to Shriver during a marriage counselling session in 2011.
This swiftly led to the pair getting a divorce, however, they've managed to co-parent, as well as co-grandparent since.
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Schwarzenegger shares four children with Shriver - Katherine, 33, Christina, 31, Patrick, 30 and Christopher, 26.
At the time of their split, Schwarzenegger and Shriver released a statement which read: "We are continuing to parent our four children together. They are the light and center of both of our lives."
The former couple have also had to learn how to co-grandparent too, Katherine having welcomed a daughter in 2020 and another in 2022.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Schwarzenegger was asked whether he and Shriver have 'entered a new chapter in [their] relationship' since becoming grandparents.
Schwarzenegger reflected the pair 'never left the [first] chapter' because their split wasn't the result of any sort of 'feud' or 'fight'.
He continues: "It’s just my f**k up, right? We always made it very clear that the kids should not suffer because of that.
"And she has her things, her relationship, I have mine, but we always communicate about the kids, about the holidays, about birthday parties and Mother’s Day parties and Christmas.
"My chapter with Maria will continue on forever. Even though it’s a different relationship, there’s no reason for me to feel anything other than love for her."
Schwarzenegger has previously addressed his affair in his Netflix documentary Arnold.
He explained how his 'heart stopped' when Shriver asked him if Joseph was his during one of their therapy sessions.
"And then I told the truth. 'Yes, Maria. Joseph is my son.' She was obviously crushed by that," he says in the documentary.
The actor reflected on the affair as being his 'biggest failure' in life and something he will have to 'live with' for the rest of it too.
The actor said: "I have caused enough pain for my family. [...] Everyone had to suffer. Maria had to suffer, the kids had to suffer, Joseph, his mother, everyone."
Topics: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Celebrity, Parenting, Sex and Relationships, US News, Mental Health, Documentaries
Poppy Bilderbeck