Arnold Schwarzenegger congratulated his son on graduating from college

Schwarzenegger/Twitter

Arnold Schwarzenegger has been a champion bodybuilder, action movie star and California’s governor. This weekend, he also is a proud papa.

The “Terminator” tweeted a photo with his son, Joseph Baena, dressed in his cap and gown at his college graduation.

The caption reads, “Congratulations Joseph! Four years of hard work studying business at Pepperdine and today is your big day! You have earned all of the celebration and I’m so proud of you. I love you!”:

Schwarzenegger fathered Baena during a scandalous affair with housekeeper Mildred Baena while he was still married to TV journalist Maria Shriver. Baena remained the family’s housekeeper for years after the affair, but Schwarzenegger later claimed that he didn’t know he was the father to her son until Joseph turned 7 0r 8.

Arnold schwarzenegger photo
Getty Images | Michael Kovac

“It was never discussed, but I put things together,” Schwarzenegger wrote in his 2012, autobiography “Total Recall.” Though Schwarzenegger initially denied the affair to Shriver, his then-wife later learned the truth.

By then, Schwarzenegger said he had known he’d fathered the child for “five or six years.” He called the ordeal “the stupidest thing I’ve done in the whole relationship,” a decision that ultimately led to his divorce.

Arnold schwarzenegger Maria shriver photo
Getty Images | Kevin Winter

The actor split with Shriver, with whom he shares four children, in 2011.  He told “60 Minutes” in 2012, “I inflicted tremendous pain on Maria and unbelievable pain” on their children.

In reaction to the photo that the former California governor shared on Saturday, some fans praised Schwarzenegger for his treatment of Baena.

“Props to you Mr. Schwarzenegger for stepping up and publicly acknowledging Joseph as your son,” one Twitter user wrote in response to the image.

Another wrote, “Great looking kid. Chip off the old block!! That’s how you live forever. Have kids. Teach them to be great!! Congratulations!”

arnold schwarzenegger photo
Getty Images | Robert Cianflone

This isn’t the first time that Schwarzenegger and Baena have given fans a glimpse at their close bond. Earlier this year, the college graduate recreating the classic pose that his father struck after winning Mr. Olympia for the sixth consecutive time in 1975.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsl2Rn_nFrr/

The two also spend plenty of time at the gym and swapping fitness tips. In honor of Schwarzenegger’s birthday last July, Baena posted a photo of the two of them in front of a Gold’s Gym:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl3CqpnlWUG/

“Happy Birthday to the man that’s always pumped! Love you dad,” he wrote alongside the image.

He also posted a sweet message to the actor last Father’s Day.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVfeSJIhjFh/

“Happy Father’s Day to the man that’s almost as big as I am,” he wrote alongside an image of the two of them smiling over a couple of beers.

The two have also previously shared photos of themselves weight training together:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZxDSODAP0j/?utm_source=ig_embed

As for Schwarzenegger, this isn’t the only time that the former governor has made headlines in recent months.

In March, he blasted President Donald Trump for some comments about the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

Arnold schwarzenegger photo
Getty Images | Robert Cianflone

“He was just an unbelievable person,” Schwarzenegger told The Atlantic about McCain. “So an attack on him is absolutely unacceptable if he’s alive or dead — but even twice as unacceptable since he passed away a few months ago.”

He went on to slam Trump for his social media attacks on the late senator, stating, “I just think it’s a shame that the president lets himself down to that kind of level. We will be lucky if everyone in Washington followed McCain’s example, because he represented courage.”

Schwarzenegger served as the California governor from 2003 to 2011.

Written by Jay Croft for CNN. Additional reporting by Simplemost staff. 

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

Celebrities, Entertainment, Family & Parenting, News, Parenting

Related posts

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger personally fills a pothole in his neighborhood
Arnold Schwarzenegger has offered to pay to reopen polling stations that closed
Premiere Of Lionsgate Films' 'The Expendables 2' - Arrivals
Arnold Schwarzenegger's Son Recreated His Dad's Iconic Bodybuilding Pose—And He looks Just Like Him
Twins sequel Triplets
A 'Twins' Sequel Is Coming And We Think You'll Really Like The Cast Changes

About the Author
CNN

From our partners