Arnold Schwarzenegger Stopped Supporting Illegitimate Son Whom He Hid for 10 Years: 'You’re on Your Own'

• Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver were the perfect couple, but their marriage ended after 25 years.
• Schwarzenegger admitted to having an affair with a member of his household staff and fathering an illegitimate son, Joseph.
• The actor became a loving and supportive father to Joseph, but when he completed college, Schwarzenegger cut him off financially.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver seemed to have the perfect marriage until it ended after 25 years. The ex-couple, who share four children, released separate statements announcing their separation in 2011.

The separation stemmed from the discovery that Schwarzenegger fathered another child with a member of his household staff, Mildred Baena, and kept it a secret from Shriver for more than ten years. Baena worked for the family for 20 years and retired in January 2011.

The housekeeper gave birth to her son Joseph Baena in 1977. Schwarzenegger believed Joseph was the son of Baena’s then-husband. However, when Joseph was around seven or eight, the actor started seeing that the boy resembled him.

Schwarzenegger revealed in an interview that he and Baena never discussed their child, but he just put things together. Then a suspicious Shriver had asked him if he was Joseph's father, but he denied it.

Later, when Shriver pressured him during a marriage counseling session after his second term as governor of California ended, Schwarzenegger made the admission. When the news of the actor's affair broke, he released a statement.

Schwarzenegger said the affair happened ten years before he told his wife and that he understood and deserved the feelings of anger and disappointment friends and family directed towards him. Shriver also said in a statement that she was going through a painful and heartbreaking time.

[W]hen Schwarzenegger cut him off, Joseph had to look for other ways to make a living, as his acting career hadn't kicked off yet.

Shriver asked for compassion, respect, and privacy as she rebuilt her life. Her priority was her children and protecting them from the scandal that hogged the headlines for days. The ex-spouses' kids also shared statements on Twitter, expressing their love for their family and thanking supporters for their sympathy.

Schwarzenegger regretted his affair with Baena. He called it the "biggest setback and the biggest failure" of his life. However, the actor had to deal with the consequences of his actions. He went ahead to form a relationship with Joseph.

Joseph said it was amazing having a father like Schwarzenegger as much as their circumstance was different than most. He added that he was really grateful for his dad. The actor became a loving and supportive father after it became public that he was Joseph's dad.

How Did Schwarzenegger Help His Son and Ex-lover?

Schwarzenegger said he started providing for Joseph when he was around seven or eight, after learning he was his son. He secretly provided financial support to Joseph's mother as he didn't know how to break the news to Shriver.

The actor clarified that he took care of Joseph and Baena, fulfilling his responsibility, which he was glad he could do. However, he was devastated that he had broken his family and marriage, things that he considered most important in his life.

In 2014, just after Joseph got his driving license at 16, the boy got into a $30,000 Rubicon Jeep Wrangler with his mother and drove off. Schwarzenegger reportedly gave him the vehicle as a Christmas gift in 2013.

Baena had accompanied Joseph to get his driver's license in Bakersfield, California. When Joseph walked out of the Department of Motor Vehicles waving his interim license, his mother couldn't contain her excitement and gave him a huge congratulatory hug.

The former Governor of California has kept his word by taking care of Baena and their son. In 2010, he allegedly bought a four-bedroom house with a pool for his ex-lover and their son in Bakersfield.

Real estate records showed that Baena bought the one-story home for $268,000. However, Kern County property records showed that Joseph's mom purchased the home by taking out a $219,000 mortgage with a 30-year term.

Neighbors of Baena had a different story to tell. They said the real estate agent who closed the deal told them that Schwarzenegger purchased the house for a former employee of his, who was assumed to be Baena.

What Happened after Joseph Graduated from College?

Schwarzenegger's financial support for Joseph stopped after he graduated college. According to Joseph, his father had told him then, "You go. You're on your own."

Joseph, who looks a lot like his father and shares his passion for acting, fitness, and bodybuilding, said he was glad his dad helped him through college. However, when Schwarzenegger cut him off, he was forced to look for other ways to make a living, as his acting career hadn't kicked off yet, something he had set his sights on too.

Joseph revealed that he began interning at a real estate company to earn money. He eventually cultivated an interest in the field, which his father had also pursued at one point in his life. Joseph started working at ARIA Properties as a residential real estate agent in 2021.

At first, he thought most of his money would come from acting, and then real estate would supplement this income. However, Schwarzenegger's son earns more money now in real estate than he thought he would.

In 2021, Joseph sold his first house and celebrated on Instagram by thanking his clients for trusting him. Still, he hasn't given up on his dreams of becoming a successful actor. In 2022, he was featured in the sci-fi thriller, "Encounters."

Today, Joseph focuses on bodybuilding, shares pictures of his well-built and toned body on Instagram, and gives tips on working out. He does several endorsement posts on his page that has close to half a million followers.

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