Arnold Schwarzenegger's 5 Kids: All About His Sons and Daughters

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Patrick Schwarzenegger Instagram

Arnold Schwarzeneggeris a proud dad to five children.

TheTerminatorstar and former Governor of California shares four kids with ex-wife Maria Shriver: daughtersKatherineand Christina and sonsPatrickand Christopher.

In 2011, the actor publicly revealed that he had fathered another child, sonJoseph Baenawith his longtime housekeeper Mildred Patricia Baena. Shriverfiled for divorcein May 2011 after 25 years of marriage.

“We are continuing to parent our four children together. They are the light and center of both of our lives,” Shriver and Schwarzenegger said in a joint statement at the time of their split.

During an appearance onThe Howard Stern Showin 2015, the former bodybuilder addressed the scandal, calling it “a very tough situation for my kids, very tough situation for my family. It was tough for everybody. But it has happened and now we have to figure it out, right?”

He added that his relationship with his kids was “fantastic, including my fifth child with Mildred.” The actor called Joseph “terrific,” saying that “he totally understands the situation. So, it all has worked out.”

In addition to fatherhood, Schwarzenegger isnow a grandfatherof three: daughter Katherine welcomed daughters of her own,Lyla Mariain 2020 andEloise Christinain 2022, and a son,Ford Fitzgerald, in 2024. “It’s the easiest thing to be a grandfather,” he toldJimmy Kimmelearlier this year.

“They come over to the house, you play with Lyla for around an hour or two, put her on the horse, put her with the dog. And after two hours, they leave,“he joked, adding, “It’s fantastic! I have a great time when they come over to the house.”

Here’s everything to know about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s five children.

Katherine Eunice Schwarzenegger Pratt, 35

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Katherine Schwarzeneggeris the oldest child of Schwarzenegger and Shriver. Born on Dec. 13, 1989, in Los Angeles, her middle name honors her maternal grandmother, Eunice Kennedy — younger sister of President John F. Kennedy.

Despite being born into a political family, Katherine has long maintained that she has no interest in that field. “Absolutely not, politics is not my thing,” she told PEOPLE in 2016. “I think if you grow up in it, you either love it or you’re like, ‘No thank you!’ "

Katherine Schwarzenegger Instagram

In 2010, she became aNew York Timesbest-selling author at 21 years old after publishing her first book,Rock What You’ve Got: Secrets to Loving Your Inner and Outer Beauty from Someone Who’s Been There and Back.

Two years later, Katherine graduated from the University of Southern California and published another self-help book,I Just Graduated . . . Now What?to help fellow recent grads navigate life in the “real world.”

She also wroteMaverick and Me,a children’s book about her rescue dog, in 2017 andThe Gift of Forgivenessin 2020. The author is a longtimeanimal rights advocate and ambassadorfor Best Friends Animal Society and the ASPCA.

“I love my daughter Katherine,“Schwarzenegger saidduring an appearance onJimmy Kimmel Live!in February 2022. “[She] is so wonderful and I’m so proud of her.”

He’s also a fan of Katherine’s husband,Chris Pratt, calling him “a fantastic guy” and “great son-in-law.”

Katherinespoke about being a working momand the benefits of asking for help while attending DSW’s “Best Foot Forward” panel luncheon event in March 2023.

“I feel like on Instagram we see all these moms that are like, ‘I’m doing it all, I’m doing it all, I’m doing it all on my own,’ blah-blah and I’m like, ‘I don’t want to do it all on my own,’ " the mom-of-two said.

She explained that asking for help can be “a big struggle for women in general,” adding, “I think especially if you’re balancing multiple roles, is saying, ‘I need help today,’ and that’s okay.”

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Schwarzenegger spoke about watching his daughterbecome a motherwhile attending the May 2023 premiere of his Netflix seriesFubaralong with Pratt, Katherine and Christina.

“It’s nice to see your kids having kids themselves and to watch this new dimension,” Schwarzenegger told PEOPLE. “You see them growing up and you see them going to school and getting smart and getting their degrees, getting their jobs and all this, but now seeing them be a parent? It’s fantastic. It’s really great.”

He also praised Katherine’s parenting skills. “It’s really fun to watch and hang out with her now and to see the way she’ll react to the kids because she is so great with them,” the actor said.

Katherinecelebrated her dadagain when he turned 76 in July 2023. She shared a throwback photo of the father-daughter duo hugging along withthe caption: “Happy birthday daddy @schwarzenegger ♥️ we love you!”

Christina Maria Aurelia Schwarzenegger, 33

Corey Nickols/Contour

Schwarzenegger’s second daughter with Shriver, Christina Schwarzenegger, was born in Los Angeles on July 23, 1991.

Christina is also a founding member of the Special Olympics Founder’s Council. “I love shining a lighton those who feel outside the margins and bringing their experiences to light. The result is that we all feel validated and, ultimately, see that our differences are in fact, our superpowers,” Christina said, according to the Special Olympics' website.

She and Shriver co-executive produced Netflix’s 2018 documentaryTake Your Pills, which explored Christina’s experiences with Adderall addiction and how societal pressures contribute to abusing the controlled substance.

Gisela Schober/Getty

To celebrate his younger daughter’s 30th birthday in 2021, Schwarzenegger shared aheartfelt post on social media, which included photos of the father-daughter duo.

Patrick Arnold Shriver Schwarzenegger, 31

Jon Kopaloff/Getty

Patrick Schwarzenegger was born on Sept. 18, 1993, in Los Angeles, and is the third child between Schwarzenegger and Shriver.

An actor and model, he is currently pursuing a career in Hollywood. Patrick made his big screen debut with a brief cameo in 2006’sBenchwarmersand has since added movies like Netflix’sMoxiein 2021 and HBO Max’s true crime seriesThe Staircasein 2022 to his résumé.

“Both my parents are proud of me,” Patrick toldTodayin 2020 about following in his dad’s acting footsteps. “It’s pretty surreal ‘cause I remember growing up and going to set with [my dad] and it was like my favorite activity.”

“He’s really proud of me and they’re so supportive,” Patrick added. “I couldn’t ask for a better parent duo.”

In abirthday tributeto Patrick on his 28th birthday in 2021, Arnold shared adorable throwback shots of the pair and told his eldest son: “I love you, I’m proud of you, and watching you grow every day in every way is one of my greatest joys. Your business is booming, your acting career is taking off, but most importantly, you never forget to reach out and help others.”

“💍❤️FOREVER AND EVER❤️💍,” said the caption.

The pair had been dating since September 2015, following hissplit from Miley Cyrus.

Ahead of his debut inThe White Lotusseason 3 in February 2025, Patrick told PEOPLE he kept his audition for the role a secret from his family, who were already big fans of the series. When he found out he got the role, he first told Champion, and then his family.

Christopher Sargent Shriver Schwarzenegger, 27

Christopher Schwarzenegger was born on Sept. 27, 1997, in Los Angeles.

The youngest child of Shriver and Schwarzenegger has stayed largely out of the spotlight. In 2020, he graduated from the University of Michigan — but due to restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic, he graduated online. Schwarzenegger took the opportunity tocelebrate his son on Instagram, photoshopping an image of Christopher in a cap and gown in front of the University of Michigan emblem.

“Christopher, you are a champion and I love you,” the proud dad captioned the photo. “I know your graduation from Michigan wasn’t the big celebration you dreamed about for years, but walking across a stage isn’t what makes me so proud of you: it’s your compassion, your hard work, your vision, your critical thinking, and your selflessness that make me burst with pride. I can’t wait to watch you keep climbing and succeeding.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger Facebook

To celebrate Christopher’s 24th birthday in 2021, Schwarzeneggershared a trio of sweet photosof the pair and revealed that Christopher has a handful of active hobbies. “Between your boxing classes, your weightlifting classes, your stretching classes, your cycling classes, and on and on, I can’t even keep up with you!” he wrote. “I love you and I’m proud of you every day!”

Joseph Baena, 27

Frazer Harrison/Getty

Joseph Baenais the son of Schwarzenegger and his longtime housekeeper, Mildred Patricia Baena. He was born on Oct. 2, 1997. His mother kept his identity a secret for the first seven or eight years of his life until his resemblance to his father became apparent.

Schwarzenegger detailed his affair with Mildred in his Netflix docuseries,Arnold, which premiered in June 2023.And while he called his infidelity a “major failure,” theKindergarten Copactor made it clear that he’s proud to call Joseph his son.

“It was wrong what I did. But I don’t want to make Joseph feel that he is not welcomed in this world — becausehe is very much welcomed in this world,” Schwarzenegger said. “I love him and he has turned out to be an extraordinary young man.”

The two grew closer later in life, Joseph revealed during an appearance on Sophia and Sistine Stallone’sUnwaxedpodcastin January 2022. “I also have to point out that with my relationship with my dad it took a little while for me and him to get really close and just [feel] like I can joke around with him and talk about anything,” he said.

Joseph Baena Instagram

These days, the father-son duo can frequently be seenhitting the gym together: Joseph has followed suit as a bodybuilder and calls his dad the “best training partner in the world.” The 2019 Pepperdine University graduate has recreated several of his dad’sfamous muscle man poseson Instagram.

To celebrate Joseph’s 24th birthday in 2021, Schwarzenegger shared a trio of photoson Twitterof the pair spending quality time together. “Happy birthday Joseph! I am so proud of you and I love you! You are crushing it in the gym, in your real estate career, and in acting,” the actor wrote alongside the shots of the pair drinking, biking and hanging out together. “I know this will be another fantastic year.”

In addition to bodybuilding, Joseph is a budding actor: He worked onhis first movie,Bully High, in 2021. He is also a real estate agent with California-based agency ARIA Properties.

Joseph also competed on season 31 ofDancing With the Starswith pro dancerDaniella Karagach.

During an interview for the show, he was asked ifSchwarzenegger might consider lacing up his dance shoesfor a future season.

“This show? No, no,” he said, adding that his dad might make an exception if Dani was his partner.

Joseph went on to say that his dad is “so happy” and “so proud” of him — and his dancing.

“I love my father. He’s the smartest, best man I can think of,” the fitness model said. “So, you know, to be compared to him, to be in the same character, Hercules — you know he played Hercules in New York. It’s amazing, you know? It’s awesome. And who doesn’t want to be like their father, right? So, it’s great.”

During the “Prom Night” episode ofDWTS,Joseph and Karagach were eliminated, despite earning their highest score of the season.

In April 2023,Deadlineannounced that Joseph hadjoined the cast of the filmGunner, which starsMorgan Freemanand Luke Hemsworth. He will play a deputy sheriff named Wally.

source: people.com