Their dream marriage broke up in 2011 after 25 years together. The reason for the surprising love off? In the 90s, “Terminator” star Arnold Schwarzenegger (75) cheated on his current ex-wife Maria Shriver (67) with the housekeeper. The affair even produced an illegitimate son in 1997, who Arnold kept secret from his family for more than a decade.
A genuine Hollywood scandal, which has now been addressed again in the Netflix documentary “Arnold”. In the documentary, which will be shown worldwide from June 7, the actor openly reveals how he confessed his illegitimate son to Maria Shriver. Particularly explosive: At the time, son Joseph Baena (25) was already 13 years old and apparently looked confusingly similar to the former bodybuilder.
Arnold Schwarzenegger confessed to Maria Shriver in couples therapy that he has an illegitimate son
Like the US magazine “PeopleArnold Schwarzenegger reportedly first spoke about his illegitimate son during couples therapy in 2011 after he was pressured into a quasi-confess by their mutual therapist. The therapist is said to have said: “Today Maria would like to know something very precisely. (…) She wants to know if you are Joseph’s father.” A moment that apparently still brings beads of sweat to the 75-year-old’s face to this day. In the current Netflix documentary, he recalls the moment that changed his life: “I thought my heart stopped. And then I told the truth.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger is now reunited with his ex-wife Maria Shriver
How the action hero formulated the confession? According to People, he simply said, “Yes, Maria. Joseph is my son.” In the documentary, the Hollywood star ruefully adds: “It obviously affected her a lot.” So it’s no wonder that Maria Shriver filed for divorce from the “Terminator” actor that same year. Today, however, the blended family seems to get along very well again, because Arnold Schwarzenegger not only maintains close contact with his ex-wife Maria and their four children. The 75-year-old also keeps sharing photos on Instagram with his son Joseph, who is now also an actor.
