Joseph Baena is All Grown Up, and He Looks Nothing Like Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger's son is no longer just part of his cheating scandal.
Joseph Baena, Arnold Schwarzenegger's illegitimate son, has made plenty of headlines over the years, and his life seems to be pure fodder for a TV show — the perfect underdog story.
It all started in 2011, when it was revealed to a shocked public that the superstar and former California governor had fathered a son with his longtime housekeeper. At the time, Joseph was 13 years old. His father later told the press that he realized his parenthood when the boy was about seven or eight.
'It wasn't until the boy started looking like me, that's when I kind of got it. I put things together,' Schwarzenegger told 60 Minutes in 2012 (per People).
Fast forward a decade, and the 25-year-old son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mildred Baena is all grown up and doing well. Fans of the actor seem to have forgotten and forgiven Schwarzenegger for his cheating scandal, and they find Joseph Baena a pure joy to follow. The more people get to know Joseph through his work, the more they love what they see.
Baena has a popular Instagram page with nearly half a million followers, where he posts pictures of himself and sometimes his father, with whom he grew close.
Of Arnold Schwarzenegger's five children, the one born out of wedlock seems to have achieved the most. Baena's career took an upright turn in 2022 when he appeared on the cover of Men's Health as a bodybuilder and fitness model. In the issue, he talked about his physical routine and the bond with his father.
Joseph also took some roles in movies and TV projects in 2022 and became a contestant in Season 31 of Dancing with the Stars. Although he only lasted six episodes, viewers loved the young man for his genuine, kind and hardworking personality.
'I didn't know anything about Joseph. I was rooting for him early though, the guy is just so sweet and humble! He's putting in work to make a name for himself, which I think is great,' a fan wrote during the season run.
It looks like Joseph Baena has managed to step out of his father's shadow, and we'll be seeing a lot more of him in the future.