It was the scandal that basically froze Hollywood in its tracks back in 2011. You remember the headlines. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the "Terminator" himself and former Governor of California, admitted he’d fathered a child with the family’s longtime housekeeper, Mildred Baena. That child was Joseph Baena.
The fallout was massive. Maria Shriver, a journalist and member of the Kennedy dynasty, saw her 25-year marriage evaporate in a single counseling session. But once the dust settled and the lawyers finished their work, a lingering question remained in the minds of the public. Does Maria Shriver have a relationship with Joseph Baena? Honestly, the answer is complicated. It’s not a simple yes or no. It’s a story about boundaries, deep-seated pain, and the reality of "blended" families that weren't exactly planned.
The Shocking Way the Truth Came Out
To understand if they have a relationship now, you've got to look at how it all started. This wasn't a case where Maria found a stray receipt or a suspicious text. It was much more clinical and, frankly, heartbreaking.
In his 2023 Netflix docuseries Arnold, Schwarzenegger recounted the exact moment. They were in a marriage counseling session. The therapist turned to him and said, "Maria wants to be very specific about something. She wants to know if you are the father of Joseph."
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Arnold’s heart stopped. He told the truth.
Imagine that for a second. Maria had spent years being kind to Joseph. She had treated him like a member of the extended family because his mother, Mildred, had worked in their home for two decades. Maria had reportedly given Joseph gifts and asked about his schoolwork. Learning that the boy she had welcomed into her home was actually her husband’s son—born just days apart from her own son, Christopher—was a "bitter pill," as sources close to her described it.
Where Things Stand Today
So, does Maria Shriver have a relationship with Joseph Baena today? The short answer is no. There is no public evidence, nor any private reports from credible sources, suggesting that Maria and Joseph have any kind of relationship. They aren't seen at brunch. They don't follow each other on Instagram. In the world of high-profile celebrities, silence speaks volumes.
While Maria and Arnold have managed to reach a very impressive level of "co-parenting" for their four children—Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher—that circle does not seem to include Joseph.
- The Sibling Divide: It’s not just Maria. Arnold’s four children with Maria have largely kept their distance from Joseph. While Joseph follows some of his half-siblings on social media, they famously do not follow him back.
- The Red Carpet Incident: At the 2025 premiere of Arnold’s show FUBAR (and similar events in previous years), the divide was visible. Arnold posed with his four children with Maria, and then he posed with Joseph separately. They are rarely, if ever, in the same frame together.
- A Respectful Distance: Maria has never publicly trashed Joseph. She’s too classy for that, and honestly, she knows the kid is innocent in all of this. But for her, he is the living embodiment of the ultimate betrayal.
Why a Relationship Is Highly Unlikely
You’ve got to think about the psychology here. For Maria, Joseph isn't just "Arnold’s other son." He is the result of an affair that happened under her own roof while she was raising her own kids.
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Mildred Baena was pregnant with Joseph at the exact same time Maria was pregnant with Christopher. That’s a level of proximity that is hard to move past.
Joseph, for his part, seems like a genuinely good guy. He’s a real estate agent and an actor, and he’s incredibly close with his dad now. He has gone on record saying his relationship with Arnold "took a little while" to build, but now they are gym buddies and very tight. But Joseph also knows the score. He has never pushed for a relationship with Maria or his half-siblings that wasn't wanted. He’s out there living his own life, carving out his own path without using the Schwarzenegger name professionally.
The "Kennedy Strength" Factor
People often forget that Maria Shriver is a Kennedy. That family is known for many things, but "publicly airing dirty laundry" isn't high on the list. They value loyalty and privacy.
Maria’s decision to keep Joseph at arm's length (or further) isn't about being "petty." It’s about emotional survival. She has worked incredibly hard to rebuild her life, focusing on her journalism, her brain health advocacy (the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement), and her role as a grandmother. Bringing the person who represents the end of her marriage into her inner circle probably isn't on her to-do list.
Real-World Insights for Blended Families
While most of us aren't married to movie stars, the Shriver-Schwarzenegger-Baena dynamic offers some real lessons on how to handle "impossible" family situations.
- Accept that "One Big Happy Family" is a Myth: Sometimes, the healthiest thing you can do is maintain a polite, distant "no relationship" status. You don't have to love everyone to be a functional human being.
- Focus on the Kids: Arnold and Maria have been incredibly successful at showing up for their children’s weddings and milestones together. They put their hurt aside for the sake of their kids. That’s the real goal.
- Boundaries are Vital: Maria’s choice to not engage with Joseph is a boundary. Joseph’s choice to respect that is also a boundary. Both are valid.
The "relationship" between Maria Shriver and Joseph Baena is defined by its absence. It’s a quiet, mutual understanding that some wounds are too deep to bridge with a simple introduction. If you're looking for a reconciliation story, you likely won't find it here. Instead, you'll find a story of a woman who chose to move forward by leaving the past exactly where it belongs.
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What to do next: If you're interested in how this family dynamic has evolved, keep an eye on how Arnold handles upcoming family milestones. Watch for whether the siblings begin to bridge the gap with Joseph, as that is usually the first sign of a shift in the family hierarchy before the parents ever get involved.