Arnold Schwarzenegger Opens Up On The Moment He Confessed To Having An Affair To Ex-Wife Maria Shriver

Hollywood icon and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger opened up about the tense and pivotal moment when he had to confess to his then-wife, Maria Shriver, about his past affair.

Schwarzenegger fathered a love child, Joseph Baena, with their housekeeper at the time Mildred Baena. He kept the existence of Joseph a secret for a while but later revealed it in 2011 during a marriage counseling session.

The revelation sent shockwaves through their high-profile marriage, leading to their subsequent separation and divorce.

Read on for more details.

Schwarzenegger, known for his roles in blockbuster movies such as "Terminator," and Shriver, a prominent journalist and member of the Kennedy family, were married for 25 years before the revelation of an affair in 2011 shattered their relationship.

In a new Netflix documentary "Arnold," he opened up about the moment he had to admit to having an affair after being confronted by Shriver to address the rumors he'd fathered a love child at the time.

"She wants to know if you're the father of Joseph," the counselor quizzed, per Page Six, referring to their housekeeper's son, who was born in 1997.

"I thought my heart stopped, and then I told the truth," Schwarzenegger shared in the Netflix special, adding that Shriver "was obviously crushed by that."

Following the revelation, Shriver took the necessary steps to end their marriage, filing for divorce in July 2011. The couple shares four children: Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher.

According to Page Six, the former bodybuilder made a surprising revelation about his relationship with his son, Joseph Baena. In the documentary, Schwarzenegger confessed that he initially wasn't sure whether Joseph was his biological child.

The doubts stemmed from the fact that his mistress and housekeeper, Mildred, was still married to her then-husband, Rogelio Baena.

Despite his initial doubts, Schwarzenegger acknowledged that as Joseph grew older, the resemblance between them became undeniable.

"In the beginning, I really didn't know, but the older he got, the more it became clear to me," he said. "It was then just a matter of, 'How do you keep this quiet?'" he added.

According to the Page Six, the "Kindergarten Cop" star's children from his marriage to Shriver are allegedly not close to their half-brother, Joseph, after they seemingly avoided him at the premiere of their father's latest series, "FUBAR."

The tensions within the family have resurfaced, bringing attention to the strained relationships that have persisted since the revelation of Schwarzenegger's affair with their former housekeeper.

Despite the passage of time, it seems that the wounds caused by his infidelity have not fully healed. According to sources close to the family, Schwarzenegger's children have struggled to develop a close bond with Joseph despite him being "very close" with their father.

Reports suggest that the siblings intentionally avoided him at the premiere of Scwarzenegger's Netflix series, Fubar, further highlighting the apparent distance between them.

"But, to be honest, the other kids don't love Joe. It's a shame as he's a really good kid, and Arnold has always treated him like all his other kids — very fairly. But for whatever reason, the other kids take [the affair] out on Joe," the source claimed.

Following the premiere of 'FUBAR,' Joseph took to his Instagram page to share moments of his time at the event and to rate the series overall. Fans used this opportunity to roast Schwarzenegger's children for how they acted with him throughout the event.

A fan said, "It's disgusting how you're treated 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**t to fuel you."

Another fan wrote, "Joe is Arnold's true legacy, and his rich lazy kids are clearly butthurt. Keep on trucking Joe."

"I think you're a great guy," one fan wrote. "It's a shame your siblings treat you wrong for something you had no control over."

"Glad to see you had a great time!" another fan penned. "Ignore the haters, including the bozo siblings. I know it's painful, but God and your parents love you."