Arnold Schwarzenegger’s unfaithful secret came out at the start of a therapy session Thu 8 June 2023 10:45 Updated Wed 14 June 2023 15:09 Eve Edwards
Jackson Reed
Published Apr 05, 2026
Arnold Schwarzenegger opens up on learning he has not one but two young sons, born the same year, in a new Netflix documentary. The Terminator star shares Joseph with his former housekeeper, Mildred “Patty” Baena, and Christopher with ex-wife Maria Shriver.
On June 7, Netflix added to its ever-growing catalog of hit documentary series. Drifting from the popularity of true crime to focus on celebrity stories. Netflix’s latest project examines the life and work of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
From his bodybuilding career to his political ambitions, the documentary leaves no stone unturned when delving into the former Governor’s life. But one murky area, that of Schwarzenegger’s affair, left some fans curious to know more about how the relationship with Mildred Baena unfolded.
Young Mildred Baena pictured with Schwarzenegger family
Mildred “Patty” Baena was born on March 1, 1961, in Guatemala. This means she is currently 62 years old, 14 years Arnold Schwarzenegger’s junior.
Shortly after the actor married Maria Shriver, in 1986, Patty joined their household as a housekeeper. She is thought to have joined the family in the 1990s and was with the Schwarzeneggers for almost 20 years.
Patty would have been in her mid-thirties at the time of the affair, which occurred in 1996.
Given Patty was very much a part of the family, there are plenty of pictures of her alongside Arnold and the rest of the Schwarzeneggers. Patty retired from working for the famous family in January 2011, just four months before the news that she shares her son Joseph with Arnold Schwarzenegger was made public. See the Los Angeles Times report which broke the news below:
a week after announcing his separation from wife maria shriver, a los angeles times story revealed arnold schwarzenegger had secretly fathered a child with a household staffer, the woman subsequently being identified as schwarzenegger's housekeeper of twenty years, mildred baena:
— popculturediedin2009 (@pcd2009) May 20, 2021
Despite the scandal that followed, Mildred “Patty” Baena said that she left on good terms with the family.
Just months before the affair was made public, she retired from working at the Schwarzenegger household. “I wanted to achieve my 20 years, then I asked to retire,” Patty reportedly told The Times in 2011, adding that she had “left on good terms with them.”
Joseph Baena is Dad Arnold’s double
At first, Arnold Schwarzenegger was not aware that Joseph Baena was his son. When the housekeeper gave birth, the family was under the assumption that she shared the child with her ex-husband, Rogelio Baena. But the Terminator star slowly had suspicions that Joseph was his child.
Arnold did not have these suspicions confirmed until Joseph was eight years old. The actor and politician’s ex-wife, Maria, learned of the affair in the couple’s counseling sessions. She confronted Arnold about whether Joseph was his son, which by that point Arnold knew. Arnold and Maria split in 2011.
In the actor’s memoir, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story, he wrote: “The minute we sat down, the therapist turned to me and said, ‘Maria wanted to come here today and to ask about a child — whether you fathered a child with your housekeeper Mildred.'”
Arnie added: “I told the therapist, ‘It’s true.'”
It is not hard to see why Arnold may have grown suspicious about his relation to Joseph Baena. When looking at images of a young Arnold, he is Joseph’s double.
Joseph learned who his biological father was when he was 13 years old. He said in an interview: “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.”
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Mildred Baena is the ‘most important woman’ to young son Joseph
Joseph Baena and his dad didn’t get off to the smoothest start, but the family, including Mildred Baena, has since become a strong unit.
Last year, Joseph described Patty as “the most beautiful and important woman in my life” when penning a birthday tribute. Joseph added that she “inspire, motivate and push me every day to be successful and chase my dreams.”
Joseph has penned similarly affectionate posts to his dad Arnold when celebrating his birthday. The two have become quite inseparable, sharing snaps of their family time on social media.
Joseph has also followed in his father’s footsteps, entering the world of bodybuilding.
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Watch Arnold on Netflix now
