Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Proud of His Son Who Resembles Him — Dramatic Weight Loss after People Called Him ‘Fat’

Arnold Schwarzenegger was heavily discussed in the media after admitting that he had a child with his long-term housekeeper. The secret strained his relationship with his family, especially his son Christopher who was also bullied for his weight on the internet. But he worked hard and is now unrecognizable.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a man of many talents. In Hollywood, he is known as the action hero and the face of the “Terminator” franchise, but he’s also dabbled in different genres like comedy.

Schwarzenegger is not only respected as an actor, but he’s one of the few Hollywood stars that have been involved in politics to the point of being a governor.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in California in 2007 | Source: Getty images

The actor was the governor of California from 2003 to 2011, but now the 75-year-old seems to be slowing down in his acting and political endeavors. Still, he has been a prominent topic in the tabloids.

Schwarzenegger was always portrayed as a family man and a man of law since he played a significant role in politics. He and his wife, Maria Shriver, were married for 25 years before a long-time secret tore them apart.

It was revealed that the “Terminator” star had fathered a child with the couple’s long-time housekeeper Mildred Baena. The two had a son, Joseph Baena, who now has a close relationship with his father despite being disconnected from him for years.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and ex-wife Maria Shriver in Los Angeles in 2010 | Source: Getty Images

However, this long-kept affair heavily affected Schwarzenegger’s family, which seemed close before everything became public. It ended his marriage of over two decades and impacted his relationship with his youngest son, Christopher.

With Joseph’s identity being publicized, it made him the youngest child of Schwarzenegger, a position that had been originally Christoper’s, as he was believed to be the “real” last-born son.

The adjustment of bringing another offspring into the house at an older age was a bit strange and shocking for the family, and it took some time for the former governor and his son Christopher to mend things.

Christopher Schwarzenegger in Los Angeles in 2017 | Source: Getty Images

When the news broke, the “Predator” actor did not even avoid the rumors; he admitted that he had “screwed up.” In an interview with Harvey Levin from Fox News, Schwarzenegger said he did not need time to reflect to know he had done something wrong.

Two months after the news came out in 2011, Shriver filed for divorce, but it was not finalized until 2021. The separation between Schwarzenegger and his wife affected their youngest son after he had already suffered a surfing accident.

Even though the couple was technically not together anymore, they still stood together as a family to support their son through his emotional turmoil.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in California in 2019 | Source: Getty Images

Schwarzenegger was also patient with earning his children’s forgiveness and trust again while building a relationship with Joseph. Even though the tension in his family reportedly lasted a long time, he never gave up.

The actor has built close relationships with all his children; including Christopher. They’ve done charity work together where they gave food to those in need.

On Veterans Day, the father and son distributed pizza slices and Schwarzenegger thanked the veterans for their sacrifice. He also credited them for making America a land for immigrants and the most wonderful country.

Another sign that the father’s relationship with Christopher was healing was a post he shared on Christopher’s graduation. The proud father posted an image of his son holding his awards and certificate and wrote, “Christopher, you are a champion, and I love you.”

The actor also nurtures his relationship with Joseph. He showed love on his birthday by sharing a sweet picture of them enjoying drinks at a cafe. The father and son looked alike, and Schwarzenegger expressed how proud he was of Joseph’s hard work in the gym and his growing career in real estate.

Though he maintained a relationship with Joseph, one question that hovered over the Schwarzenegger family was if the actor’s children had a relationship with his youngest son. A 2020 article reported that Schwarzenegger’s children did not follow Joseph on Instagram.

But instead of looking for social media trails, Schwarzenegger has shown that he is a devoted father that will admit to his mistakes while doing everything in his power to get his family connected again.

Christopher Bashed for His Weight

Despite the Schwarzenegger family’s low profile, the media has not been kind to Christopher. The son of the action legend was bullied for his weight and constantly compared to his half-brother Joseph who looks like a younger version of Schwarzenegger, especially during his “Terminator” days.

Christopher with his sister Katherine Schwarzenegger and their mother Maria Shriver in Los Angeles in 2019 | Source: Getty Images

Some Twitter users criticized the actor for not raising their son to be aware of the importance of exercise, especially when his father was a bodybuilder.

People put side-by-side pictures of the brothers, indicating that Joseph, who was raised by his mother, had a better body than Christopher, who grew up with a man with one the most chiseled bodies on television.

The negative comments about Christopher’s body were also directed at Schwarzenegger, but since he was older, Christopher was bullied for not carrying the Schwarzenegger legacy.

But whatever hate Christopher might receive from the media, his father expressed his pride for his son’s 24th birthday post on Instagram.

Schwarzenegger expressed how proud he was of Christopher’s extensive exercise routine, writing, “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! I can’t wait to see what you accomplish this year.”

Clearly, Christopher was not discouraged by the negative comments on the internet; instead, he put in the hard work to get his body back in shape.

Unrecognizable Weight Loss

Christopher made a public appearance as he attended his brother Patrick’s birthday party in Malibu. The Schwarzenegger family showed up in style to celebrate their son. The former governer wore a floral shirt with cream-white pants and topped the look off with a blue blazer.

Christopher was unrecognizable in his new physique; he kept his outfit simple and athletic with a grey T-shirt, blue joggers, and trainers.

They were joined by his sister Katherine and her husband, Chris Pratt. Maria also showed up in a beautiful printed dress.

Sources stated that Christopher started his weight loss journey in 2020 by implementing a healthier diet. His goal was reportedly to get into shape before his graduation, so he snapped out of his college lifestyle and started to make healthy food choices.

Christopher Schwarzenegger and his mother Maria Shriver in New York in 2017 | Source: Getty Images

The insider also revealed that Christopher did not do anything drastic like following a crash diet; he took it one step at a time by simply cutting out junk food and working out.

His brother, Patrick, also shared his pride in his discipline. For Christopher’s birthday, he wrote, “Proud of you. New job. Crushing in the gym. A whole new person. Can’t wait to see what this year brings.”

Christopher took the initiative to care for himself and has had his father guide him through this process. His family has also been his biggest cheerleaders.

Who Are His Other Kids

Schwarzenegger and Shriver only divorced ten years after they announced their separation. The final agreement awarded Shriver half of the actor’s pension from the date they married, including everything Schwarzenegger earned while they were together.

But despite the tragic end to their long marriage, the couple was determined to continue peacefully co-parenting their four children, Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher. “They are the light and center of both of our lives,” Shriver and Schwarzenegger said in a joint statement.

Schwarzenegger was equally invested in his Hollywood life, and after he switched to politics, he showed the same determination.

Regardless of growing up with such a multifaceted father, his children decided to follow their own paths. His eldest daughter Katherine immediately rejected politics.

She said that growing up around politics would either make her love it or hate it, but she said, “No, thank you.” However, Katherine showed her passion for helping people through her talent for writing.

By 21, Katherine had already published a New York best-selling book, “Rock What You’ve Got: Secrets to Loving Your Inner and Outer Beauty from Someone Who’s Been There and Back.”

When she graduated from the University of Southern California, she published another self-help book, “Just Graduated . . . Now What?” as a way to help fellow graduates navigate life after college.

Katherine also wrote a children’s book about a rescue dog, “Maverick and Me,” and published another one titled “The Gift of Forgiveness.”

The 33-year-old found love and married actor Chris Pratt after meeting when Pratt was filming “Jurassic Park” in 2018. They tied the knot in 2020.

Schwarzenegger commended Pratt for being a “fantastic guy” and “great son-in-law.” His eldest daughter is also a mother of two girls, Lyla and Eloise.

The “Commando” star’s second-born daughter, Christina, did not follow her father’s path. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and worked for Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness brand Goop for three years, writing about health and wellness.

Christina is also a founding member of the Special Olympics because she loves to shine a light on marginalized people. Along with her mother, she also co-produced the Netflix documentary, “Take Your Pills,” which gave insight into her life experience as an Adderall addict. The documentary was meant to highlight how societal pressures contribute to the issue of controlled substance abuse.

It was Patrick who took after his father and became an actor and a model. He made his debut in a small role on the show, “Benchwarmers.” then appeared in the Netflix movie, “Moxie,” before bagging a role in the true crime HBO series, “The Staircase,” in 2022.

Patrick graduated from USC Marshall School of Business and has been dating model Abby Champion since 2015, after splitting from singer Miley Cyrus.

The youngest of Shriver and Schwarzenegger’s children, Christopher has kept a low profile but recently graduated from the University of Michigan. Unfortunately, he could not have an in-person graduation due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he still celebrated his achievement online.

Joseph also followed in his father’s footsteps. He’s a bodybuilder, and he and Schwarzenegger usually hit the gym together and share their moments on social media.

But besides being a bodybuilder, Joseph is also an aspiring actor and appeared in the 2021 film “Bully High.” When he’s not at the gym or in front of a camera, he’s a real estate agent registered with a California-based agency, ARIA Properties.

All of the Schwarzeneggers have created successful lives for themselves and continued to embrace a close-knit family despite the drama they faced.

The actor and his wife put their differences aside and still celebrate their children’s milestones together. Even when their family is flooding the media, they still stick together and resolve their issues privately.