Mildred Baena, also known as Patty, was the housekeeper for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver for many years. At some point during her time working for the family, Patty was Arnold's secret lover, bearing him what the tabloids called "a love child" – a mini-me named Joseph Baena.
Throughout her years at the house, most people assumed that Joseph was the son of Patty's husband, when, in fact, he was Arnold's son all along. While Arnold is used to appearing in many dramas, nothing came close to the scandal that erupted in 2011.
The revelation that Joseph (who so obviously resembles Arnold) was in fact Schwarzenegger's son came as a shock to many. But Joseph, it turns out, is more like Arnold than any of Arnold's kids with Maria Shriver. He has his dad's rugged good looks and shares his passion for working out.
But what of Patty? She is alive and well and living in a house in Bakersfield that Arnold helped her buy, however, where do the two stand today? Let's find out!
Mildred Baena and Arnold Schwarzenegger caused quite the stir back in 2011 when it was revealed that Mildred's son, Joseph Baena, was, in fact, Arnold's biological son. While this didn't end well for Arnold and his marriage to Maria Shriver, he remains very close to his son, Joseph today. As for Mildred, she and Arnold keep things cordial for the sake of their son.
They both attended Joseph's graduation in 2019, and Arnold helped her purchase a home. Since then, Mildred has graduated from culinary school to pursue her efforts as a chef all while continuing to give exclusives regarding her private time with Arnold.
Updated on February 20, 2022: Now that it's been more than ten years since the scandal broke, Mildred Baena seems happy to live her life in peace out of the spotlight. Joseph Baena, however, is following his famous father's footsteps and trying to start his own career as an actor and a bodybuilder. He was featured on the cover of Men's Health recently, and in his interview he answered some questions about his relationship with his father.
In the interview, Joseph explained why he chose to keep his mother's last name after he found out the truth about his parentage. He explained, "When I go to auditions, they don't know who I am because we don't have the same last name... it's all me." He also spoke about how much his mother supported him when the scandalous news first broke, saying "She was really the only person I had... No one knew, and everyone wanted the details. We had each other’s backs."
Here's What Really Went Down Between The Baena And Schwarzenegger Families
What is most interesting about the saga of Mildred, Arnold, Maria, and Joseph is how they each reacted to the news of Joseph's paternity coming out.
Arnold tended to shrug his shoulders and mumble he wasn't perfect, while Patty gave "exclusive interviews" for which she was paid, leaving many to turn against her for capitalizing off the chaos.
Joseph, when told, uttered the word "cool," all while Shriver attempted to soldier on, until she finally threw in the towel, moving out some 3 months after the story broke.
Mildred Baena worked for the Schwarzeneggers for 20 years! She became part of their extended family, attending family get-togethers. The smiling Schwarzeneggers even attended Joseph's christening, proving just how close they all were.
The story is that the affair between Arnie and Patty was an on-again, off-again kind of thing. Patty let slip in one of her "exclusive" interviews that they did the deed in Arnold and Maria's bed when everyone was out of the house.
In 1997, Maria and Mildred were both pregnant at the same time, Maria with Christopher and Patty with Joseph. Patty has gone on to claim that she had no idea her child had been fathered by Arnold, rather than by her husband Rogelio Baena.
Then in 2011, when Joseph was 13, Maria point-blank confronted Mildred Baena. The boy's resemblance to Arnie was just unmistakable. Patty obliging told the media of the fateful encounter. She was on her knees crying and Maria was hugging her. Maria moved out three months later and filed for divorce. The divorce was finalized in 2021, ten years after Shriver and Schwarzenegger separated.
Patty Baena's Life After The Scandal Broke
After the "love child" story broke in 2011, good old Patty gave "exclusives" to any outlet that would pay.
She retired in 2011/2012 to a home in Bakersfield. Rumor has it that in 2010 Arnold put down a hefty deposit of $65,000 to help Patty buy the house. Note, this was before the scandal broke, leading some to believe that Arnold knew more than he admitted at the time, and hoped it would never come out.
Although Mildred Baena and Joseph remain closer than ever, Joe is not nearly as close with his siblings. According to Mom.com, his half-sisters, Katherine and Christina completely ignore him.
As for Patrick and Christopher, many believe that they keep in touch with Joseph on the down-low as to now ruffle too many feathers within the family.
What About Patty Baena And Arnold Schwarzenegger?
When Joseph graduated from Pepperdine University in 2019, both his parents attended his graduation. They each kept their distance from one another, each taking separate pictures with Joseph.
Arnold cannot have been happy with Mildred Baena selling her "kiss and tell" stories to the media. That hasn't stopped Arnie from forming a tight relationship with his son.
From pumping iron together to smoking cigars with Sylvester Stallone, the two are clearly close. Patty just has to approve, not least of all because Arnold has been very generous with Joseph, gifting him with a $30,000 Jeep and (probably) footing the bill for Joseph's school tuition.
Patty Baena's Life Today
Patty's husband Rogelio Baena was suspicious of Joseph's paternity from day one. He divorced Patty even before Joseph was born.
As of a few years ago, she was continuing to ride her 15 minutes of fame. As of 2016, her MySpace page attracted a lot of attention from Latin American fans, most of whom rushed in to defend Patty. Some trolls criticized her looks, however, comparing her to Maria Shriver.
In 2017, Mildred Baena graduated from culinary school in Santa Anita, and of course, Joseph didn't waste a single moment to give praise to his mom! "I'm so dang proud of my momma! Today she graduated culinary school and I couldn't be happier for her as she continues to live out her dreams as a chef," Joseph wrote.
Joseph shares a lot of moments between him and his mom, Patty on his Instagram. Whether it's attending his graduation, cooking with him, or celebrating birthdays, Patty always has Joe's best interest at heart, making her quite the supermom!