“He’s terrific, and he understands the situation,” Arnold said about his son, Joseph, in 2015. When Mildred shared with her son who his father was, Joseph reportedly replied, “Cool.” From going to have no father to having Arnold Schwarzenegger as a dad is definitely “Cool!”
Several years after the affair was revealed and he and Maria split, Schwarzenegger explained that it all worked, but that it was a tough situation for Joseph, his kids, and the rest of the family. It was tough for everybody. But he understood that it happened and that they now had to figure out how to live with it.
The Truth
Indeed, Schwarzenegger admitted it was only when Joseph “started looking like me, that’s when I kind of got it. I put things together.” It wasn’t until he ended his foray into politics that his wife confronted him about the affair, which happened after she had confirmed this incident face-to-face with the help of Baena.
Baena opened up about everything, and Shriver’s thoughts had been confirmed. Shriver described his admission as “painful and heartbreaking.” They split up in May of 2011, with Maria moving into a nearby home so their children could easily go between the two parents. The couple stayed separated for a long time before they got divorced many years down the line.
Big Regrets
Though now divorced, Maria and Arnold appear to have an amicable relationship, and from the start, he has taken financial responsibility for his son, Joseph. Schwarzenegger owns up to his transgressions, publicly admitting his most personal mistakes.
The Hollywood scandal made a lot of waves in the media and had a lot of fans and followers of the star in complete shock. “I’m least proud of the mistakes I made that caused my family pain and split us up.” All of his fame, accomplishments, and successes were vastly overshadowed by his infidelity, though he has recognized the devastation it has caused.
Still a Family
According to the members of the family, the shift in the family was a mild and manageable situation. His eldest daughter Katherine opened up to the media about their parents’ split “That’s the best thing for everyone, despite it all.” She explained that her parents made sure that they remained a family unit no matter what happened, and that they excelled at it.
Katherine continued to reveal that the family remained very normal and had a lot of love for one another. She admits that despite their split, she thinks her parents did a great job maintaining their family unit.
Another New Family Member
There is a reason why "The Lion King" was so obsessed with "the circle of life." After all, new stars emerge and old ones fade. Katherine Schwarzenegger began dating one of Hollywood’s leading men, Chris Pratt, in June of 2018. The two then got engaged in January of 2019.
And, though it might seem nerve-wracking to ask someone like Schwarzenegger for his daughter’s hand, Pratt said the two share a lot in common, which must have diffused any tension. Though there were reports that Arnold disapproved of Pratt, the claims were wrong as he has expressed only warmth and support for his daughter’s relationship.