Maria Shriver Reveals Shocking Truths About Her Divorce From Arnold Schwarzenegger

by

Maria Shriver is sharing a vulnerable look at a challenging period of her life.

In her forthcoming book “I Am Maria,” the 69-year-old woman shares her experience of accepting and moving past her divorce from Arnold Schwarzenegger, which ignited a personal voyage towards self-discovery and fulfillment.

Maria, who is mother to Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt (35 years old), Christina Schwarzenegger (33), Patrick Schwarzenegger (31), and Christopher Schwarzenegger (27) with Arnold, penned down in her book that the dissolution of their marriage was a shocking, life-changing event that occurred after the passing of her parents, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver. [Source: People]

She went on to explain that her 25-year marriage had ended, leaving her devastated, depleted, and shattered. Losing her marriage, her parents, and employment felt like the wall of her lifelong denial crumbled.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that she chose not to delve into the specifics of her divorce, which transpired just prior to Arnold disclosing the paternity of Joseph Baena, who is the son of household staff member Patty Baena. However, Maria openly shared her emotional aftermath in her writing.

Admitting the truth, I was engulfed by a whirlwind of despair and uncertainty. A tumultuous mix of anger, fear, sorrow, and dread gripped me, leaving me trembling with apprehension. To be honest, it felt like a relentless storm, and the terror it brought was palpable.

During this period, Maria acquired skills to maneuver through and conquer the long-standing belief instilled in her since childhood that, being part of the influential and adored Kennedy clan, she was not deemed sufficient, which she felt as “Maria is insufficient.

 

Even though everything they knew about their world and their home was suddenly destroyed, Maria penned a note expressing appreciation for the grace, bravery, and courage her children displayed.

However, following her account of numerous visits to diverse therapists, healers, shamans, and psychics, along with staying at a convent, Maria discovered a path to recovery by composing poems.

She explained that her writing originated from a profound part of herself. Through her poetry, she discovered a woman who was fearful of failing to meet the expectations set by her family’s legacy—afraid of not being strong enough, not good enough as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, or journalist.

She went on to say, “I encountered a woman who consistently compared herself to an unattainable standard, which always left her feeling inadequate. I discovered an individual who had spent their life evading feelings of sorrow. Moreover, I realized that when this lifetime of suppressed grief and trauma is finally released, it floods out like a tidal wave.

Fortunately, even though Maria’s emotional health was unstable at the time, her children stood firm and stayed strong throughout the ordeal.

Regardless of how “their entire world and sacred home were suddenly disrupted,” Maria penned, “I feel compelled to recognize the elegance, bravery, and resilience displayed by my children.

For a closer look at the Schwarzenegger family tree, keep reading.

These days, Arnold Schwarzenegger is enjoying a new role – that of grandpa! His children Katherine Schwarzenegger, Christina Schwarzenegger, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Chris Schwarzenegger, and Joseph Baena are all grown up. Now, instead of being dad, he’s cherishing the time spent with his grandkids – Lyla, Eloise, and Ford, who are the offspring of Katherine and her husband Chris Pratt. In 2022, Arnold shared with Jimmy Kimmel that being a grandfather is effortless; he plays with Lyla for a couple of hours, then they head out, leaving him with memories to treasure.

In 1986, Maria got married to Arnold, but they filed for divorce in 2011 after it was discovered he had fathered a child through an affair. However, Chris, her son-in-law, admires the way Maria and Arnold co-parented publicly.

In May 2024, the actor from Guardians of the Galaxy shared with Today, “Maria and Arnold raised four fantastic children, which isn’t always simple in Hollywood or privileged circles.” He further expressed his curiosity about her parenting methods, saying, “I just want to ask her everything. ‘How did you not spoil them? How did you not ruin them?'”

Chris continued by stating that the secret to Maria’s successful parenting, as he sees it, is accountability and strong faith. He mentioned that when Maria enters a room, everyone stands up, and she emphasizes manners and accountability. These are values he wants to incorporate in raising their children together.

Patrick, who was born in 1993 and is the oldest child of Arnold and Maria, credits his brother-in-law Chris with helping him land a key role. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel in 2022, he recounted that Chris suggested he audition for the part of Donny Mitchell in “The Terminal List” on Amazon Prime Video. According to Patrick, Chris advised him to gain weight, take tactical training, and immerse himself in the character, which ultimately helped him secure the role.

Training with real-life Navy SEALs was a dream come true for Patrick, leading to more opportunities such as playing Saxon Ratliff on “The White Lotus” and Tim Tebow in FX’s “American Sports Story.” Despite his connections, Patrick emphasizes his commitment to hard work.

When speaking with The Sunday Times in February 2025, he addressed the perception that his success is due to his family ties rather than his dedication to acting. He pointed out that he has taken 10 years of acting classes, performed in school plays every week, invested countless hours developing characters, and endured numerous rejections during auditions.

In December 2023, Patrick announced his engagement to model Abby Champion.

Currently, Katherine Schwarzenegger is the eldest among Arnold Schwarzenegger’s children, born to him and Maria Shriver in 1989. Now, Katherine, who authored “The Gift of Forgiveness,” has a family of her own with her husband Chris Pratt. They got married in 2019 after dating for a year. Their first child, Lyla, was born in 2020, followed by Eloise two years later and Ford in 2024. In a piece written for her mother’s website, she expressed that becoming a mother felt like everything in her life had led up to that moment, and it was perfect. She also mentioned that being a mom is a role she has always wanted and looked forward to. Additionally, Katherine has a stepson named Jack, who Chris and his ex-wife Anna Faris welcomed in 2012.

1. In Chris’s perspective, family is of utmost importance.

However, he faced criticism in 2021 when he expressed his gratitude towards Katherine for delivering him a healthy daughter on Instagram, which some social media users found insensitive considering that his first child, Jack, was born premature.

“There were numerous articles saying, ‘That’s so awkward. I can’t believe Chris Pratt would thank her for a healthy daughter when his first child was born premature. That’s such a jab at his ex-wife,'” explained the former Parks and Recreation star in an interview with Men’s Health in 2022. “I thought, That is messed up. My son’s going to read that one day. He’s 9. And it’s etched permanently on the internet. It really bothered me, man. I cried about it. I was like, I can’t stand that these blessings in my life are seen as burdens by some people.”

In August 2012, Jack, the son of Anna and Chris, arrived approximately two months ahead of schedule and needed to stay in a specialized newborn care unit called the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

At a 2021 gathering for the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth, the actress reminisced about the moment when she finally brought home Jack. Those early years were brimming with medical check-ups, five operations, physical rehabilitation, and countless moments of joy, as Jack was and remains the sweetest, most charming little being I could have ever dreamt of.

About a year and a bit since Katherine and Chris exchanged vows, we were blessed with the arrival of our little angel Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt in August 2020 – a name that carries a special meaning as it honors Katherine’s dear mom.

Though Chris values his privacy when it comes to family matters, he did let us in on a heartwarming detail – Jack was already excelling as our protective older sibling.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight back in 2021, Chris gushed, “He’s just fantastic with her! She always tries to pull his glasses off, and he’s so patient with her. He makes a wonderful big brother.

By March 2022, Chris and Katherine expanded their family, welcoming their newborn daughter named Eloise Christina Schwarzenegger Pratt.

In an interview with TopMob in June 2022, the actor from Zero Dark Thirty described himself as a father of two girls. He shared that his eldest daughter has adapted well to her new role as a big sister. Initially, she was curious about the new addition to the family, asking questions like “What’s going on with that? Who’s that?” but now she has warmly embraced her sister. She often wants to hold her little sister and is showing great affection. For him, these moments are what life is all about, and he feels incredibly grateful and happy.

On November 8, 2024, Katherine and Chris welcomed their child, Ford Fitzgerald Schwarzenegger Pratt into the world. A few days afterward, they shared on Instagram that both mother and baby are healthy, and Ford’s siblings are overjoyed by his arrival. The couple expressed their deep feelings of gratitude and happiness.

As a die-hard admirer, I’m thrilled to share that I’m talking about none other than Christopher Schwarzenegger, the cherished youngest son of Arnold and Maria Shriver. His sister, Christina, completes our dynamic duo as their beloved youngest daughter.

Born in 1997, Christopher has kept a relatively low profile in the public eye. However, his impact is significant! He serves as Vice Chair of the Special Olympics Founder’s Council and holds the esteemed position of Director of Development at Indus Valley Media. His impressive resume also includes stints at Malka, a creative content agency, and working with renowned sports psychologist Trevor Moawad. To top it off, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in psychology!

Christina, born in 1991, is an accomplished executive producer. Her impressive portfolio boasts credits like the 2018 documentary “Take Your Pills” and the 2022 doc “Take Your Pills: Xanax.

  •  

Joseph is the illegitimate son that Arnold had with their former housekeeper Mildred Patricia Baena back in 1996, a fact he only discovered much later. In his 2023 docuseries named “Arnold”, he discussed this affair as a significant mistake in his life but expressed pride in Joseph’s achievements. Similar to Arnold, Joseph is an actor, fitness enthusiast, and also works in real estate; he even participated on season 31 of “Dancing With the Stars”.

In 2009, Chris and Anna exchanged wedding vows, but following eight years of matrimony, they revealed their separation.

Anna (previously wedded to Ben Indra) implied that her life with Chris wasn’t as flawless as it might have appeared. On a 2021 episode of her podcast “Unqualified,” she remarked, “I believe things were more open with my relationship with Ben, but with Chris, I think we both preserved the image, even within our close circles.”

Anna (now married to cinematographer Michael Barrett) suggested that sharing the same profession as her exes didn’t aid the situation. “My two other marriages were with actors,” she shared on another episode of her podcast later that year, “and I don’t think we did a fantastic job of eliminating competitiveness—or at least I didn’t. Being a proud person and not wanting to reveal vulnerability, any signs of competition and comparison, I didn’t handle that very well, I don’t think, and I hope I’ve grown from that.

Read More

2025-03-24 20:22