Joseph Baena, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son, recently spoke about his father’s decision not to provide financial support after he graduated from college. Joseph, the son of Schwarzenegger and Mildred Baena, the family’s former housekeeper, was born as a result of an affair while Arnold was still married to Maria Shriver.
In Schwarzenegger’s Netflix documentary, he admitted to lying about the affair and the existence of Joseph, which caused pain for his family. Despite this, Arnold helped fund Joseph’s college education, but once he graduated, the financial support stopped.
Joseph, now 26, shared on the “UNWAXED” podcast in 2022 how this decision impacted him. After his father, who has a reported net worth of $1 billion, cut him off, Joseph had to navigate life on his own. He expressed gratitude for his father’s help through college but admitted that being left on his own after graduation was a shock.
Without steady acting work, Joseph took a job at ARIA Properties, a real estate firm in Los Angeles, and discovered a passion for the industry. He eventually earned his real estate license and continues to work in the field, as seen through his Instagram posts.
Reflecting on his relationship with Schwarzenegger, Joseph revealed that he first learned Arnold was his father during high school. Though he acknowledges the challenges, he decided not to adopt the Schwarzenegger name, saying he’s proud of the Baena name he already carries.