They’ll be back! Since Arnold Schwarzenegger burst on the scene in the 1980s, his family has gone on to become one of the most successful — and recognizable — clans in Hollywood.
Three of the Terminator star’s five children have followed in his footsteps and made names for themselves in the entertainment industry: Katherine Schwarzenegger, a self-help and children’s book author; Christina Schwarzenegger, an up-and-coming producer; and Patrick Schwarzenegger, an actor and model.
Maria Shriver, who was married to Arnold from 1986 to 2017, is famous in her own right too. After volunteering for her father Sargent Shriver’s 1972 vice presidential campaign, the niece of the late President John F. Kennedy became a broadcast journalist. With Emmy and Peabody Awards under her belt, she has coanchored shows including Sunday Today, NBC Nightly News and Dateline in addition to covering the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
Arnold and Maria are also the parents of Christopher Schwarzenegger. Additionally, the former California governor has a third son, Joseph Baena, whom he shares with the family’s former housekeeper Mildred “Patty” Baena. Their affair prompted the journalist to file for divorce from her husband of 25 years in 2011.
Arnold opened up about his well-known family during a 2015 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, saying his five children “just do their own thing.” And while many of them have chosen to pursue careers in the public eye, the patriarch promised to give them two thumbs-up regardless.
“I made it very clear to my kids: I don’t care if they’re a plumber, if they’re a writer or if they’re a teacher,” he said on the SiriusXM talk show at the time. “Whatever they want to do, [I will support them], as long as they’re passionate.”
Scroll down to see a comprehensive guide to the actor’s family!
The Austria native started bodybuilding as a teenager and went on to become an accomplished powerlifter and seven-time Mr. Olympia winner. He broke through in the film industry with 1982’s Conan the Barbarian and later starred in the Terminator movies, Commando, Predator and True Lies. He served two terms as the 38th governor of California, from 2003 to 2011.
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The Chicago native began her broadcast journalism career in the 1980s. She requested to be relieved of her duties at NBC News when she became the first lady of California in 2003 but resumed working with the network 10 years later. She has also been an advocate for people with disabilities as a member of the Special Olympics board. In addition, Maria is the founder of the Shriver Report nonprofit organization and executive producer of the HBO docuseries The Alzheimer’s Project.
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The University of Southern California graduate has written four books: Rock What You’ve Got (2010), I Just Graduated … Now What? (2014), Maverick and Me (2017) and The Gift of Forgiveness (2020). She married actor Chris Pratt in 2018 and welcomed their first child together in 2020.
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The Georgetown University graduate executive produced the 2018 Netflix documentary Take Your Pills, which focuses on college students who are addicted to Adderall. She is also an assistant editor at Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop.
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The USC Marshall School of Business graduate made his movie debut with a small role in 2006’s The Benchwarmers and started to pick up more acting gigs in college. He has appeared in Grown Ups 2 (2013), Midnight Sun (2018) and Daniel Isn’t Real (2019) in addition to modeling for brands including Ralph Lauren and Armani.
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Arnold and Maria’s youngest son has managed to largely avoid the spotlight. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2020.
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Arnold’s son with Patty graduated from Pepperdine University in 2019 and now works as an executive assistant at the California-based real estate agency ARIA Properties. He is an avid bodybuilder like his dad.
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Arnold’s son-in-law is best known for his roles in Everwood, Parks and Recreation, Jurassic World and Marvel movies including Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Endgame. Prior to Katherine, he was married to actress Anna Faris from 2009 to 2018. The exes share son Jack.
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Arnold’s nephew is a well-known attorney and investor in Los Angeles. He served as an advisor to his uncle when Arnold hosted The New Celebrity Apprentice. Patrick has four children with wife Bliss Ellis.
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