Despite being viewed by his step-siblings as the result of a scandal that shattered their family, Joseph Baena remains grateful to have Arnold Schwarzenegger as his father, maintaining a strong bond with him and receiving ongoing support.
Despite facing rejection from the children Schwarzenegger shares with Maria Shriver, 26-year-old Baena refuses to distance himself from the man who asserts that he is “fully embraced in this world.”
Continue reading to discover more about Baena’s story!
For the initial 14 years of Joseph Baena’s life, he was kept as a hidden truth by Arnold Schwarzenegger and the family’s housekeeper, Mildred “Patty” Baena.
The young boy was unaware that the former Mr. Universe was his biological father until the age of 13.
Recounting the moment he learned Schwarzenegger was his dad, Baena tells Men’s Health: “I remember the day vividly… I was in eighth grade, fifth or sixth period. I was called out of class to leave. My mom was there, saying, ‘We have to go—everyone is finding out about you and your father.’” Reflecting on the media frenzy surrounding his family, he continued, “I was 13. Your body and mind are changing, and now my life was changing before my eyes.”
Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger was silently supporting Patty and his son, and Maria Shriver was unaware that the child occasionally seen with his mother at the house—interacting with her children—was fathered by her husband.
But as Baena grew older, his resemblance to his father became undeniable, and the secret could no longer be kept.
In his memoir “Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story,” Schwarzenegger describes how he confessed the affair to his wife of 25 years. He also shares his children’s emotional reaction to the news. “I begged for their forgiveness,” he said. “They cried. It broke my heart.”
Schwarzenegger and Shriver divorced in 2021.
Doppelganger
Today, at 26, Joseph follows in his father’s footsteps as an actor and bodybuilder.
In fact, Joseph, who graced the cover of Men’s Health in 2022, bonded with his father over fitness, with Schwarzenegger gifting him “The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding,” a book he co-authored. “Although I could have called him anytime, I was too proud. I went straight to the book. I wanted to figure it out myself,” Joseph tells the magazine. He recalls feeling nervous when he began training with his father at around 18, observing his techniques and demeanor.
“My father is old-school; he doesn’t believe in handouts. He believes hard work pays off, and so do I,” says Baena. “I love the word honor, and I’m very prideful in the sense that if I use my dad’s contacts or ask him for favors, I wonder what honor is that gonna bring me?”
Joseph applies the same ethos to his acting career, keeping his true identity under wraps.
“When I go to auditions, they don’t know who I am because we don’t share the same last name. It’s all me.”
The emerging actor has appeared in several films, with more in the works, and showcased his talents on Dancing with the Stars in 2022, making it through six episodes.
In homage to his father, Joseph recreated the iconic “Bad to the Bone” scene from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, portraying the menacing cyborg.
While Baena cherishes his close relationship with his father, a source reveals that “the [step-siblings] don’t embrace Joe” and “blame Joe for the affair.”
“I’ve attended several events where he’s brought [Baena] along,” the insider shares. “It’s not fair, but I suppose it’s understandable—he’s the result of something that should never have happened…”
FUBAR
At the premiere of the Netflix series FUBAR, Schwarzenegger walked the red carpet with the four children he shares with Shriver, while Joseph walked alone and was excluded from the family photo.
Taking to Instagram with a solo photo from the event, Joseph writes, “I give FUBAR a thumbs up!!!… In my unbiased opinion, FUBAR is a hilarious, action-packed show that will keep you on the edge of your seat!”
Fans promptly commented on his solo appearance. “I’m here to support you, unlike your arrogant siblings,” one writes. Another adds, “Your half-siblings have a lot of growing up to do! They envy you because you resemble your dad exactly, and they blame you for your dad’s infidelity.”
A third remarks, “It’s disgraceful how you are treated by your own blood. Utterly ignored for something beyond your control. Is it racial animosity? Who knows. Use this nonsense to motivate yourself.”
Another commenter notes, “That’s unfortunate. Arnie appears to love them all equally, if not a little more Joe because he’s following in his footsteps.”
‘Extraordinary young man’
Though Schwarzenegger kept his doppelganger son a secret for the first 14 years of his life, he acknowledges his wrongdoing and lauds Baena, now 26, as an “exceptional young man.”
Describing Joseph, the former governor praises his son as a “remarkable individual” who “makes me proud.”
“What I did was wrong. But I don’t want Joseph to feel unwelcome in this world—because he is very much welcomed. I love him, and he has grown into an outstanding young man,” Schwarzenegger concludes.
