Meet Arnold Schwarzenegger's Five Children, Including Rising Star Patrick

Once upon a time, Arnold Schwarzenegger's ultra-strict parenting style used to leave his kids in tears. Speaking to People in 2023, the "Terminator" star admitted that he often resorted to drastic measures to teach some valuable lessons to the four children he shares with his now ex-wife, Maria Shriver. For instance, he recalled how he made his eldest child, Katherine Schwarzenegger, cry by throwing her shoes into the fireplace because she ignored his warnings to place them elsewhere a few times. 

Arnold warranted a similar reaction from Patrick Schwarzenegger when he threw his son's mattress off the balcony because he kept enlisting their house help's services to make his bed, despite being sternly told that the responsibility was his alone. The former governor of California also wasn't pleased when the "White Lotus" star kept taking longer showers. So, he decided to teach him a lesson by installing a timer to turn his shower water to cold if he went overtime. 

When that did inevitably happen, Patrick started screaming in the shower. It seems like Joseph Baena, Arnold's youngest child, whom he shares with their former housekeeper, is the only one of his kids who wasn't subject to his tough love since they weren't close in his childhood years. Ultimately, though, it doesn't seem like any of Arnold's children held his past parenting mistakes or eyebrow-raising choices against him. In fact, during a 2023 appearance on "The Jennifer Hudson Show," Katherine even admitted that she wanted to follow in her parents' parenting footsteps with her little ones because their approach enabled her to have a tight-knit bond with them in her adulthood.

On December 13, 1989, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver welcomed their first child, Katherine Schwarzenegger. During a 2011 chat with Harper's Bazaar, Katherine reflected on how her father's fame affected her in her formative years, saying, "Being the oldest and going from being an actor's kid to being the governor's daughter, it's a totally different amount of pressure put on you to be perfect." Katherine wasn't free of these pressures even when she grew up and went to college since men constantly asked her about her dad and his fitness tips. 

Given all this, it's unsurprising that she chose a different career path than her father. At 21, Katherine became a New York Times best-selling author with the release of "Rock What You Got," which was essentially a guide to help young women develop confidence. In a 2010 CNN interview, Katherine shared that her struggles with self-confidence inspired her to write the book, and she hoped that someone in her shoes could find something of value from her words. 

While Katherine continued to write similar books that revolved around her life experiences, she also championed animal advocacy as an ambassador for non-profits like Best Friends Animal Society and the ASPCA. The children's book writer's private life has been equally fulfilling. In 2018, Katherine's relationship with Chris Pratt began, and they tied the knot the following year. The couple went on to welcome three children and Katherine also became a stepmother to Jack, Pratt's son with his ex-wife Anna Faris.

Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger's second daughter, Christina Schwarzenegger, was born on July 23, 1991. In 2013, Christina graduated with a Bachelor's in English from her mother's alma mater, Georgetown University. After snagging a degree in interior architecture from Parsons University, Christina went on to work as an editor for Gwyneth Paltrow's brand goop. 

In 2018, she joined forces with her mother to serve as an executive producer for "Take Your Pills," a Netflix documentary exploring how today's fiercely competitive climate created a reliance on prescription drugs. During an interview for Shriver's The Sunday Paper, Christina revealed that she chose to align herself with the documentary because she had experienced health problems and dealt with an existential crisis due to her Adderall use in college. 

When the pair sat down to discuss their collaboration for goop, Shriver questioned what Christina aimed to accomplish with the film. She answered, "I think it's just trying to open up parent's, educator's, psychiatrist's minds to alternative ways to calm and focus the brain before they go about prescribing such an addictive drug." It's obvious that Christina and her mother have a tight-knit bond because they frequently have heart-to-hearts during interviews. For instance, in a February 2024 chat for Flow Space, the former First Lady of California shared that her second eldest daughter had helped her better understand mental health and enabled her to foster an open dialogue about it in their home. Based on Katherine Schwarzenegger's adorable 2024 Instagram birthday tribute for Christina, it's safe to say that the sisters are thick as thieves, too.

Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger welcomed their first son, Patrick Schwarzenegger on September 18, 1993. Patrick caught the acting bug early on and made his first appearance in "The Benchwarmers" when he was 13. In the following years, he continued making smaller appearances on the big and small screen. Patrick cemented his place as a heartthrob by starring in Ariana Grande "Right There" music video in 2013. 

However, he shot to mainstream fame in 2025 when he played Saxon Ratliff in the third season of "The White Lotus." Speaking to the New York Times in March 2025, Patrick shared that his brother-in-law Chris Pratt had strongly urged him to go against the grain for his audition for the highly sought-after role to set himself apart from the competition. So, Patrick did something unconventional to start: he flirted with the camera in a not-so-subtle way. 

Although his talents greatly impressed series creator Mike White, some people believed he only got the part because of his famous associations. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Patrick admitted his frustrations with the unwarranted criticism, saying, "They're not seeing that I've had 10 years of acting classes ... worked on my characters for hours on end or the hundreds of rejected auditions I've been on." In addition to being an actor, Patrick also co-owns a protein bar company called Mosh with his mother. In 2024, the mother-son duo appeared on "Shark Tank" and snagged a deal with Lori Greiner. Although Patrick has had a star-studded dating history, he seems to have found his perfect match in his fiancée, Abby Champion.

Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger welcomed their youngest (and most private) child, Christopher Schwarzenegger, on September 27, 1997. In 2011, 13-year-old Christopher sustained serious injuries after a boogie-boarding accident and had to be admitted to the ICU. Although he went on to make a full recovery, the accident remained one of the most tragic details of Arnold's son's life.

In May 2020, the "Commando" star took to Instagram to gush about Christopher graduating from the University of Michigan. In the caption, Arnold wrote that while his son may be disappointed that the COVID-19 pandemic prevented him from having an all-out celebration for his achievement as he planned, he couldn't be prouder of all the hard work that had brought him to that moment. It's obvious that the father and son share a tight-knit bond because Arnold also wrote him a heartfelt birthday message on Facebook for his 21st birthday. Arnold's son was seriously unrecognizable after his weight loss transformation in a May 2025 Instagram post. 

Speaking on a panel for the Inaugural Beacher Vitality Happy & Healthy Summit shortly afterward, Christopher shared that he had resolved to lose weight in 2019 after realizing that his weight prevented him from doing the activities he wanted on a trip to Australia. Christopher also admitted that although he had tried to shed some pounds from his high school days, his transformation hadn't quite set in yet, saying, "Even still to this day ... when you're saying, oh, before and after photos ... I don't feel like I'm an after yet. I don't feel like I'm at the point" (via People).

Shortly after Arnold Schwarzenegger's term as Governor of California ended in 2011, he publicly admitted that he had secretly fathered a child with their housekeeper, Mildred Baena, a decade prior. The scandalous revelation led Maria Shriver to divorce Arnold after 25 years of marriage and caused problems in his relationship with his other kids. In fact, in May 2023, a Page Six source claimed that Shriver and the "Predator" actor's four kids weren't fond of their half-sibling, Joseph Baena, and had made their dislike for him clear by avoiding him when they were all present at the premiere of "FUBAR." 

However, his children's supposed dislike didn't stop Arnold from developing a close bond with Joseph. During an episode of his Netflix docuseries "Arnold," the movie star admitted that although he deeply regretted his actions from the time, he never wanted his youngest son to feel unwanted. Speaking on the "Unwaxed" podcast in 2022, he essentially confirmed that his father eventually accomplished the task, saying, "I also have to point out that with my relationship with my dad it took a little while for me and him to get really close and just [feel] like I can joke around with him and talk about anything" (via People). 

Despite coming from an unusual background, Arnold's youngest son once had a shocking normal career. In May 2021, Joseph took to Instagram to share that he had started working as a real estate agent. However, in the following year, he started following in his father's footsteps and picking up roles in thriller and action movies.