Arnold Schwarzenegger's son, Joseph Baena, has revealed the reason why he decided not to adopt his famous father's last name.
In a recent interview with Good morning Great Britain, the 26-year-old bodybuilder explained that he wanted to keep his mother Mildred Baena's last name as he embarks on his fitness journey and acting career. “I think the main thing is that I'm trying to do things on my own and pursue my career with my will, my determination and my work ethic,” Baena told co-hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls on March 13.
“My family really likes to support from afar, not be so hands-on, and I really appreciate that,” said the real estate agent. “I think it's very important, growing up as a man, to do things on your own, to figure it out. That's what I've been doing and it's worked so far. “I have been working very hard.”
Despite not wanting to take his father's last name, Baena has surely followed in his footsteps. She recently starred in the upcoming film. Gunner, alongside Morgan Freeman and Luke Hemsworth. “Some kids grow up wanting to be a firefighter or an astronaut. “I’ve always liked movies and movies, so I always wanted to be an actor,” Baena said. “It's just the way the cards were played. We just happen to do and like a lot of the same things.”
As for any advice that the terminator star has given his son as he forges a career in Hollywood, Baena revealed that his father simply said: “The key he said is to work hard, get the reps, practice and always be prepared.”
In addition to bodybuilding and acting, Baena also received his real estate license after graduating from California's Pepperdine University in 2019.
In the three-part documentary series, arnold – which was released on Netflix last year – Schwarzenegger opened up about fathering Baena with his former housekeeper while he was married to his then-wife, Maria Shriver. The former couple were married for more than two decades before separating in 2011, after it was revealed that he had an affair with Mildred in 1996.
The former California governor said his “heart stopped” when Shriver brought up rumors that Baena was her son in 2011. In the documentary, he explained that the couple had been attending regular counseling sessions when she asked her husband if he was Baena's father. “I thought my heart had stopped. And then I told the truth: 'Yes Maria, Joseph is my son,'” Schwarzenegger recalled. “She was obviously devastated by that.”
“At first I didn't really know, but the older I got, the more clear it became. So it was just a matter of, 'How do I keep this a secret?'” she said.
Schwarzenegger went on to describe the affair as his biggest “failure,” adding, “I've caused my family enough pain because of my screw-up. Everyone had to suffer. Mary had to suffer, the children had to suffer, Joseph, her mother, everyone. “I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life.”
Shriver filed for divorce in May 2011, but it wasn't finalized until 2021. The couple share four children: Katherine, 33, Christina, 31, Patrick, 29, and Christopher, 25. Baena was born just days after Christopher.
The bodybuilder previously spoke about navigating his career in the spotlight while also being the child of a celebrity. speaking to MY! News In 2023, Baena addressed criticism he received from trolls on social media.
“It really bothered me that every time I got some kind of paper or press, or posted a photo of my physique on Instagram, I always got comments like, 'You're only there because of your dad,' or whatever.” he told the outlet. “Fortunately, I am mentally strong enough to not let the scrutiny get to me.”
“I think for anyone who has had a successful father, it's going to be difficult,” he added. “People always discredit them and say, 'You only got that because of your parents, you only got that because of X, Y and Z.'
“It's difficult, but it's something you have to live with. Know within yourself that if he is working and he is really doing it, then none of it should matter.”
