Christina Schwarzenegger Produced a Film That Hits Close to Home

Christina Schwarzenegger was born in the marriage of movie star and later politician Arnold Schwarzenegger to his ex-wife Maria Shiver. Her parents separated after an affair disturbed the peace in their household.

Christina followed in her parents' footsteps and made a name for herself in Hollywood in collaboration with her mother and streaming giant Netflix. She and her siblings have all made contributions to film and television.

She also struggled with addiction issues during high school and college, which inspired her first producer project. She has a good relationship with her older sister and her older sister's daughter.

Christina Schwarzenegger is the second child and the youngest daughter of the movie star. She was born almost two years after her older sister, Katherine Schwarzenegger, and her parents have two other children, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Christopher Sargent Schwarzenegger.

The 31-year-old was born into a family of experienced Hollywood professionals and became interested in filmmaking at an early age. In 2018, she made her Hollywood debut by producing a documentary called "Take Your Pills," which she followed up in 2022 with "Take Your Pills: Xanax."

Drama in Christina Schwarzenegger's Family

Christina's parents exchanged vows on April 26, 1986. They waited three years before welcoming their first child, Katherine, in 1989. After Christina was born two years later, her brother Patrick followed on September 18, 1993, at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica.

After Patrick was born, Arnold and Maria welcomed their fourth and final child, Christopher, on September 27, 1997. The joy of his birth was interrupted by a dramatic development in their home. On October 5, five days after Christopher's birth, Joseph Baena, the son of the family's housekeeper, was born.

In 2011, Christina's father revealed that the housekeeper's son was his son. This news shook his marriage with Maria and caused irreparable damage to their relationship. That year his wife filed for divorce, which was finalized in 2021.

Christina Became a Producer of Films with Subject Matter That Hits Close to Home

As mentioned before, Christina has two producer credits. Both are related to work on the two documentaries, "Take Your Pills." The documentaries are about the harmful and, in contrast, beneficial effects of anxiety medications on the world. The IMDb storyline for the first edition states:

"In the insightful Netflix documentary "Take Your Pills," award-winning documentarian Alison Klayman (Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry) focuses on the history, the facts, and the pervasiveness of cognitive-enhancement drugs in our amped-up era of late-stage-capitalism."

Both editions of the documentary have aired on Netflix. The second edition focuses on the effects of Xanax, which is a cure for some and a curse for others, and was supported by medical professionals and psychiatrists. Christina has first-hand experience with the subject of the documentaries.

Christina has a personal struggle with addiction. In high school, she began taking Adderall, a drug that helps with concentration and productivity. However, when Christina entered college, she became addicted to Adderall. She began taking it to combat her attention deficit disorder.

After graduating college, Christina reflected on the overuse and addiction she and her friends had to the ADD prescription drug and the "identity crisis" that resulted. She explained her decision to make the documentary:

"I searched for resources and help with Adderall addiction and wasn't able to find much coverage on any long-term studies. What would happen if you continued to take it? I love documentaries, and searched for one on it, and thought it was something important to cover."

Christina explained the project concept to her mother, and together they pitched the idea to Netflix, and the platform promptly responded. The mother-daughter duo then approached award-winning director Alison Klayman to collaborate on the project, which took two and a half years to produce.

The first part of the documentary premiered at SXSW, and Christina's mother hoped "Take Your Pills" would spark conversation among young and old. Her mother is credited with working on "Last Action Hero," which stars her husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and F. Murray Abraham.

In addition to her work as a producer, Christina also appeared on the gossip show "Access Hollywood," hosted by Courtney Mazza's husband, Mario Lopez.

Christina Schwarzenegger's Relationship with Her Sister

Christina and her older sister were born a few years apart, so they became very close during their upbringing. Katherine mentioned that she did not feel any age difference and barely remembers life before Christina was born.

Their bond has always been unique, and Christine revealed that her older sister was a point of reference for her. "I was able to watch Katherine go through a lot of milestones and gain insight from that about what decisions I wanted to make or how I wanted to handle things," the 31-year-old said.

Katherine was always the more thoughtful sister, while Christina was a bundle of energy. Katherine helped and always looked out for Christina. There are many pictures of Katherine taking care of and entertaining her younger sister, even as a toddler, and they relied on each other throughout their lives.

The sisters spend Christmas with their whole family, and Katherine refers to this time as her favorite time of the year. Christine and her sister usually have a sleepover the day before Christmas Eve, and Katherine's daughter Lyla Maria joins them.

Christine is very involved in her niece's life, much to the pleasure of her older sister. Katherine says Christina's involvement in her daughter's life is fun and something she always looks forward to.

The family has been through ups and downs but remains a tight unit. Arnold visits her mother's home on Christmas to spend the day with his family. Their divorce took ten years to be finalized, which is a fair reflection of their commitment to family.