Prison

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This is Maria Shriver‘s total recall of her marriage to ex-husband Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In a straightforward and engaging manner: The ex-First Lady of California openly discussed her long-term relationship with the actor from ‘The Terminator’, explaining how it started as love at first sight during a tennis tournament in 1977, eventually turning into heartache when she discovered his affair with their household employee, Mildred Baena, in 2011.

In the poem “At First Love,” found within her memoir “I Am Maria,” she penned: “He grinned, chuckled, assessed you thoroughly.” The sequence unfolded prior to your awareness. Then it occurred to you. This event propelled you from there to here – a journey traversing love and liberation, ultimately leading to torment and confinement.

Maria went on, “Everything unfolded as soon as you laid eyes on each other / You were instantly smitten, deeply / Your gaze has irrevocably changed since that moment, and so has your heart.

The 69-year-old poet, in a different composition titled “Time Stood Still,” appears to have referenced the instance when Arnold, aged 77, admitted to fathering his son, Joseph Baena, who is now 27 years old, with Mildred.

In her own words, Maria expressed, “I heard the words, yet I felt absent,” a sentiment shared after a pivotal moment that irrevocably altered her life. She is the mother of Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, 35, Christina Schwarzenegger, 33, Patrick Schwarzenegger, 31, and Christopher Schwarzenegger, 27, who she had with Arnold. “From that moment on / The landscape of my life was forever altered,” Maria penned, emphasizing the profound impact this event had on her existence.

Indeed, just like Maria pointed out, I’ve been with Arnold since I turned twenty-one – essentially my entire grown-up existence.

In a different part, she expressed her emotions at the end of her marriage as being difficult to articulate. She was overwhelmed by sorrow, bewilderment, rage, dread, melancholy, and apprehension. She felt emotionally empty and detached from the life she had once known.

Due to her esteemed career in journalism spanning over two decades being effectively wiped out during Arnold’s tenure as California governor (from 2003 to 2011), Maria expressed a profound sense of disconnection from her own identity following the collapse of their 25-year marriage.

She confessed, “At this point, I was uncertain about my identity, where I fit in, or who I was bound to. To be honest, it was a harsh reality, and I was petrified.

However, in time, Maria regained her speaking ability once more. In a poignant poem entitled “Releasing Ties,” she penned about progressing past her divorce with the actor from Total Recall, expressing that he was the final one to depart and the most challenging to relinquish.

Maria went on saying, “Initially, I didn’t know it, but when I selected him, I was selecting my own salvation. Unbeknownst to me, it turned out that I was the one doing the saving.

I cared for each of you uniquely, just as I believe you cherished me in your own way. Now, I set you free. Go and be, and in doing so, I too can find my freedom by letting go.

For a deep dive into the Schwarzenegger family tree, keep reading.

After his children, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Christina Schwarzenegger, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Chris Schwarzenegger (with ex-wife Maria Shriver), and Joseph Baena (with former housekeeper Mildred Baena) have all grown up, Arnold Schwarzenegger is now enjoying his role as a grandpa. His favorite grandchildren are Lyla, Eloise, and Ford, whom Katherine and her husband Chris Pratt share together. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel in 2022, Arnold shared that being a grandfather is effortless. He said, “They come over to the house, play for a couple of hours, put them on the horse, let them play with the dog. And after two hours, they leave.” So these days, he’s more of a grandpa than a dad!

Maria married Arnold in 1986, but they divorced in 2011 after it was discovered that he had fathered a child from an affair. However, Chris, her son-in-law, praises how well Maria and Arnold co-parented amidst public scrutiny. As Guardians of the Galaxy actor, Chris shared with Today in May 2024, “Maria and Arnold raised four wonderful children, which isn’t always easy, especially for some high-profile celebrities who end up raising unruly kids instead.” He continued, expressing his curiosity about Maria’s parenting skills: “I want to know her secret. How did she prevent spoiling or ruining them?” Chris believes that Maria’s approach to discipline and manners played a significant role in their upbringing, stating: “When Maria enters the room, everyone stands up. She emphasizes etiquette, accountability, and faith – qualities I aim to instill in our own children.

Patrick, born in 1993, is the eldest son of Arnold and Maria. While having parents in show business has its perks, he acknowledges his brother-in-law Chris for helping him land a significant role. In 2022, while speaking with Jimmy Kimmel about booking a part in The Terminal List on Amazon Prime Video, Patrick recalled Chris saying, “Hey, you should know there’s this young role, Donny Mitchell, you’ll be the youngest in the platoon.” If he wanted to secure this role, Chris advised him to immerse himself in character development, gain 20 pounds, and undergo tactical training. This opportunity to train with real-life Navy SEALs was a dream come true for Patrick. Since then, he has played Saxon Ratliff on The White Lotus and Tim Tebow in FX’s American Sports Story. Despite his connections, Patrick emphasizes that he is committed to putting in the effort. He told The Sunday Times in February 2025, “There are people who might say I only got this role because of who my dad is. They aren’t considering the 10 years of acting classes I’ve taken, the school plays I put on every week, the countless hours I spent developing characters, or the hundreds of auditions I was rejected from.” Patrick recently proposed to model Abby Champion in December 2023.

As the eldest of the Schwarzenegger brood, I was born in 1989 to Arnold and Maria. Now, I am a wife and mother myself, having tied the knot with Chris in 2019 after a year of courtship. Our first child, Lyla, arrived in 2020, followed by Eloise two years later and Ford in 2024. Upon becoming a mom, I felt as if my life had been leading up to that moment when my baby was placed in my arms, and it was nothing short of perfect. The title “Mom” has always been one I’ve longed for, and it’s the role I’ve eagerly anticipated since I can remember. Moreover, I am fortunate enough to be a stepmother to Jack, whom Chris and his former wife Anna Faris welcomed in 2012.

For Chris, his family is always a top priority, but he faced criticism in 2021 when he expressed gratitude towards Katherine for giving him a “beautiful and healthy daughter” on Instagram. Some social media users found this post insensitive as it seemed to disregard Anna and Jack, who was born prematurely.

In an interview with Men’s Health in 2022, he explained his feelings about the backlash, stating that articles accused him of being ungrateful towards his first child who was also born prematurely, which he felt was unfair and hurtful. He expressed concern that these positive moments in his life were perceived as burdens to those close to him, causing him distress and even leading him to tears.

In August 2012, Jack, the child of Anna and Chris, arrived around two months before his due date and needed to stay in a specialized newborn care facility known as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for some time.

At a 2021 gathering for the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth, the actress reminisced about the day she finally brought Jack home, and those early years were marked by numerous doctor visits, five surgeries, physical therapy sessions, and endless joy since Jack was and still is the most precious, charming creature I could ever have dreamed of.

Approximately one year and a few months following their wedding, Katherine and Chris became parents to Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt in August 2020, the middle name being a tribute to Katherine’s mother. Although Chris tends to keep his personal family matters under wraps, he did reveal that Jack was already excelling at his role as an older sibling. As shared by the Jurassic World star with Entertainment Tonight in 2021, “He’s really good with her.” Lyla often tries to remove Jack’s glasses, and he remains patient and loving towards her, making him a wonderful big brother.

Skip ahead to March 2022, where Chris and Katherine expanded their family by welcoming baby girl Eloise Christina Schwarzenegger Pratt into their lives.

In an interview with TopMob in June 2022, the actor from Zero Dark Thirty stated, “I’m more like a dad to a girl now for the second time.” His eldest daughter has adapted well to her new role as a big sister. Initially, she was somewhat curious about her baby sibling, asking questions like, ‘What’s going on with that? Who is that?’ Now, she has fully embraced the idea and often asks to hold her sister. She shows great affection, making these moments incredibly special for me. I feel extremely fortunate and overflowing with happiness as these experiences are what life is truly about.

8th November, 2024, a day that’ll forever be etched in our hearts! Yours truly, Katherine and Chris, proud parents to our newest addition, Ford Fitzgerald Schwarzenegger Pratt. A few days later, we took to Instagram to share the joy, “Mama and babe are thriving, and Ford’s siblings can’t hide their excitement.” The sheer happiness and gratitude we feel right now are indescribable!

Christopher Schwarzenegger, the youngest child born in 1997, is the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver. His sister, Christina Schwarzenegger, is their youngest daughter who was born in 1991. Christopher has kept a low profile but serves as Vice Chair of the Special Olympics Founder’s Council and directs development at Indus Valley Media. He also worked at Malka and for sports psychologist Trevor Moawad, and holds a psychology degree from the University of Michigan. Christina, on the other hand, is an executive producer, with her notable works including the 2018 documentary “Take Your Pills” and the 2022 doc “Take Your Pills: Xanax”.

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Joseph, born in 1997, is the son that Arnold had as a result of an affair with Mildred Patricia Baena during her tenure as housekeeper. Despite the fact that Arnold only discovered his paternity much later, he acknowledged it in his 2023 docuseries titled “Arnold.” He expressed feeling uncertain at first but as Joseph grew older, it became increasingly clear to him. The challenge was how to keep this secret and avoid public scrutiny.

Arnold considered the affair a significant mistake in his life, but he expressed pride in Joseph. In the docuseries, he stated that even though his actions were wrong, he doesn’t want Joseph to feel unwelcome or unappreciated. He emphasized that Joseph is very much welcome and loved in this world, and he has grown into an exceptional young man.

Similar to his father Arnold, Joseph has a passion for acting and fitness. In addition, he ventures into real estate and competed on season 31 of “Dancing With the Stars.

Chris and Anna got married in 2009, but after eight years, they revealed their separation. In a 2021 episode of her podcast “Unqualified”, Anna (who was previously married to Ben Indra) spoke about her life with Chris not being as perfect as it appeared. She mentioned that both she and Chris had maintained an image even within their close circles. Furthermore, Anna—now married to cinematographer Michael Barrett—mentioned that being in the same industry as her previous husbands, who were also actors, may have contributed to a lack of success in eliminating competition. According to her, she didn’t handle the competitiveness very well and expressed hope that she had grown from that experience.

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2025-04-02 03:17