A Timeline Of Patrick Schwarzenegger And Abby Champion's Relationship
Arnold Schwarzenegger may be a seven-time Mr. Olympia champion, but he's no longer the only champion in son Patrick Schwarzenegger's life. Maria Shriver and Arnold's eldest son popped the question to his long-time girlfriend, model Abby Champion, during the 2023 holidays. The genetically blessed, picture-perfect couple has been an item since 2015. Since then, they have navigated the demands of hectic work schedules to forge a relationship that seems relatively normal by Hollywood standards. In 2019, Patrick told E! News that they always make time for phone calls whenever they're apart for work. He also admitted that the absence might make the heart grow fonder, saying, "Being away from each other so often allows us to appreciate the time that we have together and really enjoy it!"
When you are a young, hot, celebrity couple, time together often includes walking red carpets and attending parties and premieres. And while Patrick and Champion do engage in those activities, they also seem to relish the simple things in life, like exercising, attending music festivals, and spending time with family. A source close to the couple revealed to E! News that you can often find them just hanging out at home. "Date nights are staying in and ordering food and watching a movie. When they go out, they go listen to music or go bowling," they said. The source added that the two are "best friends." Clearly, Abby Champion and Patrick Schwarzenegger's relationship has a strong foundation.
Patrick Schwarzenegger began dating Abby Champion in 2015
On the heels of his 2015 break-up with singer Miley Cyrus, Patrick Schwarzenegger met the girl with whom he would share the rest of his life. Alabama-born model Abby Champion reportedly caught the USC student's eye that year, and while we don't know the details of their first date, we do know that Schwarzenegger was instantly smitten. In a 2021 Instagram post for Champion's birthday, Schwarzenegger remembered how quickly things clicked during that initial outing. "I knew we would hit it off from the moment we had our first date & you ordered off the kids menu!!" he wrote.
During the early days, the pair tried to keep their relationship under the radar, but rumors started swirling when they were spotted in September 2015 at Nice Guy, a popular West Hollywood hangout. The rumors escalated when, just a couple of months later, Schwarzenegger brought his new love to meet his famous family at his mother Maria Shriver's 60th birthday party. However, it wasn't until February 2016 that the pair went public, with Champion sharing a picture on Instagram that left no doubt as to whether or not the duo was dating. In the photo, the couple is all smiles and snuggles, and their faces and body language say it all. Schwarzenegger followed suit with his own photo in March, and since then, their respective feeds have provided followers with a front-row seat to watch this fairytale love story as it continues to unfold.
Family has always been important to the couple
On first glance, Abby Champion and Patrick Schwarzenegger's upbringings don't seem anything alike: He was born into a super famous family, whereas she was raised away from the limelight in Birmingham, Alabama. That said, they both grew up in tight-knit families that prioritize togetherness. Just months after they began dating, Patrick, who once told Page Six that his mom is his "everything," welcomed Abby into the Schwarzenegger fold by taking her to Maria Shriver's 60th birthday celebration in 2015. Abby is now a regular fixture at family gatherings, including weekly Sunday dinners at Shriver's.
Abby, who is one of four kids, told Vestavia Voice that it wasn't easy leaving her hometown to pursue her career. Luckily, she's had her sister, fellow model Baskin Champion, by her side. "My family has been truly amazing,” Abby told AL.com. "My parents have supported me through this whole process and have given me the opportunity to make many of my dreams come true."
Patrick is also one of four children born to actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Shriver. His siblings include Katherine, Christina, and Christopher Schwarzenegger, as well as half-brother Joseph Baena, who was the result of an affair between his father and the family's housekeeper. The resulting scandal ended his parent's 25-year marriage, but the family remains close. As his father told The Hollywood Reporter, "If there's Oscars for how to handle divorce, Maria and I should get it for having the least amount of impact on the kids."
Abby Champion and Patrick Schwarzenegger aren't afraid of a little sweat
Model Abby Champion might like to work up a sweat now, but in an old interview with Galore Magazine (via Life & Style), she said that a sweaty guy was "her biggest turnoff." She must have changed her tune, however, because she and soon-to-be hubby Patrick Schwarzenegger have combined their shared love of physical fitness into some serious quality time. Early on in the relationship, they could be found working out together on the Santa Monica steps or slugging it out in a sweaty boxing session. Their Instagram feeds feature photos of the picture-perfect pair hiking and biking together, playing sports with friends, and, of course, posing for the occasional gym selfie. Schwarzenegger used his platform to encourage his followers to take part in a "50 days 5 a.m." challenge, which 413 people completed with impressive results.
Rest assured, these fitness fanatics aren't just doing it for the 'Gram. For them, it's a lifestyle and one that they have both enjoyed for many years. In an interview with V Magazine, Champion said, "I'm super passionate about all things health. I've spent a lot of time trying to find ways that my body feels most strong and healthy." Seems she's succeeded.
Abby Champion-ed her man at the The Long Road Home premiere
By 2017, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion were quickly becoming one of Hollywood's "it" couples. Their careers were taking off, and although that required traveling and spending quite a bit of time apart, they made sure to show up and support one another's successes. So when Patrick landed a starring role in the National Geographic Channel's eight-part series "The Long Road Home," Champion was at the premiere with bells on, looking proud as can be. By all accounts, Patrick doesn't take her support for granted. As he said in a 2019 chat with E! News, "I think the best part about having her by my side is that she's always rooting for me and wanting the best for me and bringing out the best in me!"
Patrick certainly wowed in the role of Sgt. Ben Hayhurst, but as he noted in Town & Country, this part was particularly challenging. "It required the most commitment of any role I've done," he said, "but it also had the biggest payoff." That commitment clearly paid off. As series creator, Mikko Alanne, told the magazine, Patrick was just the guy for the job. Alanne added, "He has a natural instinct."
One might even say that natural instinct runs in the family. As Patrick told Town & Country, his father, movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger, stopped by "The Long Road Home" set to watch him work. "It was incredible to make him proud," Patrick said.
2018 was a big year for Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion's careers
In 2018, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion continued to thrive in both their professional and personal lives. It was the year that saw Schwarzenegger take on his first leading man role in the young adult film "Midnight Sun." The movie tells the tragic love story of Charlie, a high-school champion swimmer, and Katie, a young woman dealing with Xeroderma Pigmentosum, a rare genetic disease. Schwarzenegger threw himself into the role, telling Parade that he trained with a member of the USC swim team multiple days a week.
While he may have needed coaching to help him with his character's swimming style, we're guessing he needed very little coaching on his love scenes. At the time of the movie's Los Angeles premiere, he had been Champion's leading love interest for a couple of years. The model fully supported her boyfriend's work on the film, attending the premiere with him and posting a photo on Instagram expressing how proud she was of her "main man." Later that year, Schwarzenegger immersed himself in Champion's world when he joined her for a photo shoot for Vogue Spain. But the year wasn't all work and no play. As the music-loving duo shared on Instagram, they found time to get cozy at Coachella in between gigs.
Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion brought the heat in a 2019 Calvin Klein campaign
After nearly four years together, clearly nothing was coming between Abby Champion and Patrick Schwarzenegger, except maybe a great pair of Calvins. After posing together for Vogue Spain, the photogenic pair modeled in a steamy 2019 ad campaign for Calvin Klein Jeans. The photos, which included a larger-than-life billboard in Manhattan, featured the couple making out in various public spaces, with the suggestive tagline "Get Between Me and #myCalvins." The chemistry in the photos is evident; it's obvious the two are very much in love. "They have a lot of history and a very strong bond," a source said of the pair to E! News in 2019. "They have been together for so long they finish each other's sentences."
You might think that their respective careers, which often require them to spend weeks apart, would strain their relationship. On the contrary, it gives them a unique understanding of what the other is going through. As E! News' source dished, "They understand the demands of acting and modeling. They are in the same boat, so one of them isn't dependent on the other." In a 2022 chat with E! News, Schwarzenegger confirmed that their busy schedules don't weigh down their relationship. "We love each other and it's okay when she goes away for a week or I go away for a month filming," he said. "We're moving and I feel very fortunate to be able to be together and live together."
Abby Champion went to Patrick Schwarzenegger's sister's wedding
Considering that his mother, Maria Shriver, reportedly didn't approve of his last girlfriend, Miley Cyrus, it must have been refreshing to Patrick Schwarzenegger to have Abby Champion welcomed by not just his mom but the entire family at his sister Katherine Schwarzenegger's wedding. The oldest child of Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger married "Guardians of the Galaxy" star Chris Pratt in 2019 at a lavish ceremony held at the swanky, sprawling San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California. Although Champion was not part of the wedding party, she sure seems to be close friends with both Schwarzenegger sisters.
As the Daily Mail reported at the time, Patrick and Champion were caught on camera the morning after the ceremony as they went on what appeared to be a coffee run for the whole clan at Montecito's Cafe Luxe. Neither Champion nor Patrick were looking like their usual camera-ready selves, both appearing a little bleary-eyed from what one can assume was a long night of celebrating.
Her appearance at this major family event indicated Champion had already been embraced by her soon-to-be in-laws. A crucial milestone considering the family's bond. But as a source told E! News in 2019, "Everyone hangs out together and are good friends. They are all like one big family. They have a lot of fun together and have spent holidays together and gone on trips together. Everyone gets along very well."
Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion sure know how to coordinate
For decades, researchers have explored the question of whether or not some couples start to look like one another over time, or if it's actually just a matter of people gravitating toward partners who look like them from the start. Whatever the case, one could argue Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion share some physical traits. In a 2021 Instagram post, the handsome actor wrote that he and Champion are sometimes mistaken for brother and sister. "Is It weird that so many people ask if we're siblings or dating?" he asked. There are a lot of similarities in their chiseled features, blue eyes, and big smiles, not to mention the fact that they are both incredibly gorgeous. But physical attributes aside, it's also worth mentioning they tend to dress alike.
As far as we can tell, it seems Schwarzenegger and Champion love a good matchy-matchy moment. Don't believe it? In the first photo Schwarzenegger ever posted with Champion in 2016, they are sporting matching ponchos in Mexico. Or how about this cute Coachella moment from 2018 where they wowed in white? They dazzled in denim at the 2019 Stagecoach Festival and went classic in cream at the 2020 Country Music Awards. Maybe the matching moments are merely a testament to their great style and access to top designers and current trends rather than a conscious effort to be cutesy. Regardless, we can't wait to see the ensembles they pick out for future family holiday cards.
Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion stayed in vogue in 2022
In 2022, Abby Champion and Patrick Schwarzenegger made another Vogue appearance, this time for the American version. The multi-page spread accompanied an article on the luxury wellness resort Lanserhof Medspa and featured the couple looking supremely stylish on the island of Sylt. Although Champion has made a career out of modeling while Schwarzenegger focuses more on acting, both looked completely natural in front of the camera. But don't let Schwarzenegger's seemingly cool composure fool you. "I can't keep it serious when I'm doing that stuff," he told E! News. "[Champion] looks way better than I do when it comes to that shoot."
Schwarzenegger is obviously proud of his model fiancée, whom he called "my love" in an Instagram post about the Vogue photos. In the same E! News interview, he noted that he admires Champion's strong work ethic. "She's a hard worker, dedicated, determined. She moved here from Alabama to pursue her dreams to become a supermodel. She's great," he said. So, will we see Champion on the big screen with her man anytime soon? No word yet. However, Schwarzenegger told E! News that she happens to struggle with keeping her cool when it comes to acting-related activities. "[W]hen she helps me with auditions, she can't keep it too so it's a nice little dynamic," he shared.
Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion end 2023 with a new beginning
"FOREVER AND EVER." That was the caption, complete with diamond ring and heart emojis, that accompanied the photos Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion jointly posted to Instagram on December 26, 2023, to announce their engagement. The adorable photos feature the happy couple on the beach surrounded by rose petals in front of a giant heart and, later, celebrating with a congratulatory cake. They also shared a photo of the bride showing off her new double diamond ring while her husband-to-be gives her a sweet peck on the cheek.
Friends and family went wild over the proposal that was nearly nine years in the making. Chelsea Handler, Sean Hayes, and Rachel Zoe were just a few of the many celebrities to post their congratulations. One of the sweetest comments, however, came from Schwarzenegger's mom, Maria Shriver. "Yippee bravo we are all so happy for you for your love for your now for your future your love is inspiring joy joy joy," the Shriver-Schwarzenegger matriarch wrote. While an official wedding date has not been released as of yet, we can't help but wonder whether the couple will opt for a spectacular and star-studded event, or go with a simple ceremony surrounded by only close family and friends. Whatever direction the bride and groom choose, the one thing we do know for sure is that it will be beautiful. Cheers to fairytale endings and happily ever afters.