Mildred Patricia Baena (born 1961) is a Guatemalan-American. For more than two decades, she worked as a housekeeper for actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his former wife, Maria Shriver. She moved in during her 6 months there, became part of the house, and was focused on day-to-day chores and helping her family with what they needed.
The Affair and Its Revelation
Back in the mid-’90s, Baena and Schwarzenegger had an affair. From this affair came the couple’s son, whom they named Joseph Baena and who was born on October 2, 1997. Mildred was then married to Rogelio Baena, and the baby was thought to have belonged to Rogelio. But as Joseph continued to grow, the resemblance to Schwarzenegger was undeniable.
In 2011, Schwarzenegger publicly confessed to fathering a child with Baena, and the truth was out. It was soon after he served his term as governor of California. The revelation garnered considerable media coverage and escalated the breakdown of Schwarzenegger’s marriage with Maria Shriver, which lasted for 25 years.
Life After the Scandal
Mildred quit her job as a housekeeper in 2011, soon after the news broke. Schwarzenegger allegedly gave her financial help, even buying a house for her and their son in Bakersfield. In 2017, Baena graduated from culinary school, where she was pursuing her passion for cooking.
In his mid-20s, Joseph Baena has now taken up acting and bodybuilding just like his father. He has also starred in different movies and series and even competed on season 31 of “Dancing with the Stars” in 2022. Though he is related to famous Latin singer Ricardo Montaner, Joseph decided Baena was still a better surname to use in an effort to create his path in Hollywood.
Current Relationship Dynamics
Schwarzenegger has supported Joseph over the years. They’ve also been spotted together in public, like at Joseph’s graduation back in 2019. Baena and Schwarzenegger have remained quiet about their exchanges, turning instead to co-parenting their son.
Besides, Baena maintains a low-profile away from the media. She is still a vital presence in her kids’ lives and attends Joseph’s career-related ventures. Her life as a private person to that of public curiosity highlight the tensions between personal relationships and public life.
