Journalist Maria Shriver opens up about her heartbreaking divorce from 'Terminator' actor Arnold Schwarzenegger after he admitted to having an affair with his maid and fathering a child.
In her upcoming book I Am Maria, which will be released on April 1, Maria Shriver looks back on the most devastating moment in her life when her 25-year marriage to Arnold Schwarzenegger fell apart in 2011. "It broke my heart, it shattered my spirit, it shattered what was left of me," she wrote, in an excerpt published by People on March 24.
The 69-year-old journalist also mentioned the pain of losing her parents, who passed away in 2009 and 2011: "No marriage, no parents, no job - the dam that had protected me all my life was broken."
Maria Shriver said there had been many articles written about the end of this marriage, so she did not want to discuss it further. She praised her four children - Katherine, Christina, Patrick and Christopher - for their courage and strength during that difficult time. "Their world and the sacred home were turned upside down in an instant," Maria said, admitting that she was immersed in sadness, confusion, bewilderment, anger, anxiety and fear.
However, after days of sitting on the floor of the hotel room crying alone in the dark, Maria told herself that this was not the end of her life. She filed for divorce from Arnold Schwarzenegger in July 2011. The divorce was not finalized until December 2021.
Arnold Schwarzenegger had a son, Joseph Baena, in 1997 with his housekeeper Mildred Baena while he was married to Maria Shriver. For many years, the Hollywood actor kept his illegitimate child a secret. Arnold did not dare to go public for fear of affecting his position as Governor of California (from 2003 to 2011) and his family's happiness. It was not until 2011 that he confessed in a marriage counseling session and publicly apologized to his wife and children.
In 2023, in a Netflix biopic, Arnold Schwarzenegger said he was always tormented by his mistakes. "People will remember my successes, but they will also remember my mistakes. It was difficult for my marriage and my relationship with my children. I caused enough pain for my family. I will have to live with it for the rest of my life," the 77-year-old star said.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian American actor, bodybuilder, businessman and politician. Born in 1947, he began his career as a bodybuilder, becoming a multiple world champion before becoming a Hollywood action star. He is best known for his work in the Terminator, Predator, Total Recall and True Lies films. Arnold married journalist Maria Shriver, granddaughter of former President John F. Kennedy, in 1986. They had four children, including writer Katherine Schwarzenegger (now married to Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt) and actor Patrick Schwarzenegger. The marriage fell apart after Arnold admitted to having an illegitimate child.
Joseph Baena - Arnold Schwarzenegger's stepson - is 27 years old, a bodybuilder and actor. After being acknowledged in 2011, Joseph had a close relationship with Arnold. Despite being the son of a famous star, Joseph still took his mother's surname and tried to build an independent career, not relying on his father's fame.