Despite being blamed by his half-siblings as the lovechild who disrupted their family, Joseph Baena is delighted to have Arnold Schwarzenegger as his father. They share a strong bond, and Joseph continues to support his dad wholeheartedly.
Continuously snubbed by the children his father shares with Maria Shriver, Baena, now 26, stands firm with the man who assures him he is “very much welcomed in this world.”
For the first 14 years of Joseph Baena’s life, he was the hidden secret of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the family housekeeper, Mildred “Patty” Baena. Joseph didn’t even know that the former Mr. Universe was his father until he was 13.
Describing his experience of discovering Schwarzenegger, now 76, was his dad, Baena tells Men’s Health, “I remember the day very vividly… I was in the eighth grade. Fifth or sixth period. And I get called out of class to leave. And my mom’s there, and she’s like, ‘We gotta go–everyone is finding out about you and who your father is.’” Reflecting on the media circus at home, he continued, “I’m 13. Your body’s transforming: your mind is transforming. And now my life transformed before my eyes.”
Meanwhile, the Last Action Hero star was secretly supporting Patty and his son, while Maria Shriver was unaware that the child who sometimes joined his mother at their house – playing with her children – was fathered by her husband.
As Baena grew older, he started looking more like his father, making the secret impossible to keep.
Describing how he lied to his wife of 25 years in his book “Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story,” the Terminator star also shares his children’s reactions when he revealed his affair.
“I asked them for forgiveness,” he said. “They cried. It tears your heart out.”
Schwarzenegger and Shriver divorced in 2021.
Joseph, who graced the cover of Men’s Health in 2022, mentioned that he and his dad bonded over fitness. Schwarzenegger gifted him “The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding,” which he co-authored. “Even though I could call him anytime, I was too proud. I went straight to the book. I wanted to figure it out myself,” Joseph tells the fitness magazine. He adds that when he was about 18, he started training with his dad and “was so nervous… I was being observant, trying to see what he was doing and the way he was acting.”
“My dad 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, what honor does that bring me?”
Joseph applies the same philosophy to his acting career and has kept his real identity quiet.
“When I go to auditions, they don’t know who I am because we don’t have the same last name. I know it’s all me.”
The budding action star has appeared in a few films, with many more in production. He also showcased his dance moves in Dancing with the Stars in 2022, where he survived six episodes.
Honoring his dad, Joseph recreated the iconic “Bad to the Bone” scene from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, where he plays the menacing cyborg.
While Baena cherishes his strong bond with his dad, a source reveals that his half-siblings “don’t love Joe” and “blame Joe for the affair.”
“I’ve been at several events where he’s brought [Baena] along,” the insider shares. “It’s not fair, but it’s understandable – he’s the product of something that should not have occurred…”
At the premiere of the Netflix TV series, FUBAR, Schwarzenegger walked the red carpet with the four kids he shares with Shriver, while Joseph walked it alone and was left out of the family photo taken at the event.
Posting a solo photo of himself at FUBAR, Joseph wrote on Instagram, “I give FUBAR a 2 thumbs up!!!… In my unbiased opinion, FUBAR is a hilarious, action-packed show that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time!”
Fans immediately commented on his solo entrance. “Just started following to give you the type of support your snobby siblings choose not to.” Another commented, “Your half-siblings have a lot of growing up to do! They envy you because you look exactly like your dad, and they blame you for your dad’s infidelity.”
A third added, “It’s disgusting how you are treated, man, by your own blood. Completely ignored due to something out of your control. Is it racial hostility? Who knows. At the end of the day, use this bulls*** to fuel you.”
Another netizen wrote, “That’s a shame. Arnie seems to love them equally, if not Joe a little more because he’s walking in his footsteps.”
