Kumari Shreya
Thanks to Netflix’s ‘Arnold,’ people across the world are getting an insight into the life of beloved actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a way that has never been seen before. The documentary series deals with several key moments and controversies from the former California Governor’s life, including his affair with Mildred Patricia “Patty” Baenat is considered one of the biggest reasons behind Arnold’s divorce. Naturally, people are curious about where Mildred is these days, and we are here to answer the same!
Who is Mildred Baena?
On May 9, 2011, Arnold and his then-wife, Maria Shriver, announced that they were separating after nearly 25 years of marriage. The decision shocked many though it was not long before rumors regarding the couple’s split started circulating, including one particular story according to which Arnold had allegedly had an affair with a member of his household staff and even had a son from that particular relationship. It was not long before, on May 17, 2011, the ‘Terminator‘ actor admitted that he had indeed had an extramarital affair and had a son outside of his marriage.
According to the actor, his wife had apparently suspected this for a long time and decided to ask him about the same during one of their couple therapy sessions. “One day, the counselor said, “Today Maria wants to be very specific about something. She wants to know if you’re the father of Joseph (Baena).” I thought my heart stopped. And then I told the truth. “Yes, Maria. Joseph is my son,” Arnold recalled in the Netflix series. “She was obviously crushed by that. In the beginning, I really didn’t know, but the older he got, the more it became clear to me.”
Apparently, the affair that led to the birth of Arnold’s fifth child took place in 1996 and 1997, sometime when the actor’s family was on vacation, but he had to stay due to his filming schedule. Arnold had self-admittedly not always been sure that Mildred’s child was indeed his son, believing for the longest time that the kid was sired by her husband, Rogelio Baena. Notably, Rogelia had divorced Mildred even before Joseph Baena was born, apparently suspecting the infidelity. However, the resemblance between Arnold and his fifth child became harder to ignore as the child grew up.
Mildred herself was a part of the staff at Arnold’s house for two decades. “I wanted to achieve my 20 years, then I asked to retire,” she shared with The Los Angeles Times. She seemingly left her job on good terms with Schwarzeneggers and was given a good severance pay. Reports suggest that Arnold had been supporting his son financially for quite some time though he had not told his wife about the same.
Mildred Baena is Focusing on Family Today
Following her retirement, Mildred decided to pursue her passion as a culinary artist and even graduated from a school for the same in 2017. Reports suggest that Arnold had bought her a house in 2010, even before their affair became public. She is the mother of two sons, Jackie Rozo and Joseph Baena, the latter being the son of Arnold. Presently, Joseph seems to be following in his father’s footsteps and usually takes up acting and modeling jobs. He is also often seen at California’s Gold’s Gym, the place that his father frequented throughout his bodybuilding years.
Most notably, Joseph was seen in ‘Dancing with the Stars‘ season 31, in which he was partnered with Daniella Karagach for the most part and received the fifth position. Despite his paternity being a topic of public knowledge, Joseph has kept his original surname to avoid being favored by anyone in the industry. He does have an amicable relationship with his father and brothers. Mildred is also on good terms with her children and often shares tidbits about her affair with Arnold.
