How Many Children Does Arnold Schwarzenegger Have?
Some know him as the former governor of California. Others remember him as the nephew-in-law to President John F. Kennedy. Many think of him as The Terminator. And some just call him dad.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the father of five children — four with his former wife, journalist Maria Shriver. The fifth was born out of wedlock.
From bodybuilder to actor to politician
Schwarzenegger, a native Austrian, immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 21. Born July 30, 1947, the 73-year-old was known for pumping iron. In the years to come, Schwarzenegger earned five Mr. Universe titles and six Mr. Olympia crowns, according to Men’s Health, making him the most renowned bodybuilder in history.
His physique and good looks lead to him to Hollywood. He starred in such films as Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, and The Predator. Being a Republican didn’t stop Schwarzenegger from marrying into one of the highest-profile Democratic families in the country.
He married Shriver, the daughter of JFK’s sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, in 1986.
When California Governor Gray Davis was facing recall in 2003, Schwarzenegger decided to throw his hat into the political arena. He beat Davis in the recall election and went on to serve the state for the next seven years.
Schwarzenegger’s better-known kids
On December 13, 1989, Shriver gave birth to the couple’s firstborn, Katherine. Katherine graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) in 2012. The young author wrote a book in 2010, “Rock What You’ve Got.” A few years later, she authored “I just Graduated . . . Now What?”
Katherine’s link to fame is not only through her famous parents. She began dating actor Chris Pratt in 2018. They were married in 2019 and welcomed their first child, Lyla Maria in August 2020. Pratt, best known for his role in Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy, has a son from his previous marriage to Mom actress Anna Faris.
Born September 18, 1993, Patrick Schwarzenegger has followed in his father’s acting footsteps. The 27-year-old model-turn-actor debuted in his first film, The Benchwarmers in 2006, according to IMDb. His first starring role came in the 2018 film, Midnight Sun. In 2020, he appeared in Echo Boomers.
A USC grad like his eldest sister, Patrick co-founded the clothing company #Project360 that donates some of its proceeds to charity. Patrick dated Miley Cyrus for about six months in 2014-2015. He has been seeing his current girlfriend, model Abby Champion since early 2016, according to Distractify.
Schwarzenegger’s other three children
Those whose who remain out of the limelight are Christina and Christopher. Born July 23, 1991, Christina is the second eldest of the Schwarzenegger clan.
She opted to attend her mother’s alma mater, Georgetown University, and was employed as an assistant editor for Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness and lifestyle brand company, Goop.
Having suffered from ADD as a child, Christina began taking Adderall as a freshman in high school, according to New York Gal. In 2018, she co-produced a Netflix documentary, Take Your Pills, focusing on addiction to the drug among college students.
Christopher is the youngest child with the Schwarzenegger name. Born September 27, 1997, he graduated from the University of Michigan in 2020. At the age of 13, Christopher suffered a surfing accident breaking his ribs and collapsing one of his lungs. He keeps a low profile and does not participate in social media as the rest of the family does.
Part of Christopher’s shyness may stem from the fact that he has a half-brother, just a few days younger. Joseph Baena, born October 2, 1997, is the son of Schwarzenegger and Mildred Baena, the Schwarzeneggers’ former housekeeper. The news of Schwarzenegger’s “secret son” came out through a Los Angeles Times article in 2011. It led to the eventual divorce of Shriver from Schwarzenegger.
Joseph attended Pepperdine University, graduating in 2019. Like his father, he has an interest in bodybuilding and can be spotted with his dad at the gym. While we don’t know just how Christopher reacted to learning of his younger sibling, according to The Things, the bond between Christopher and his father has grown stronger in recent times.
Schwarzenegger shared in a 2018 Men’s Health interview, “Fatherhood is really the greatest joy. Watching all five of my kids grow into their own successful lives is fantastic. Spending time with them, working out together, answering their questions makes me so happy.”
