Maria Shriver Reveals How Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Affair Shattered Her – ‘I Was Consumed with Grief’

In her forthcoming memoir, I Am Maria, journalist and author Maria Shriver opens up about one of the most painful moments of her life: the end of her 25-year marriage to Arnold Schwarzenegger. For the first time, Shriver details the depth of her heartbreak after learning of Schwarzenegger’s affair with their family housekeeper, Mildred Baena, which resulted in the birth of a son, Joseph Baena.

A Moment of Despair

Shriver describes an emotional breakdown that occurred in a hotel room shortly after discovering the infidelity. “As I sat on the hotel room floor in the dark, terrified and alone with tears streaming down my face,” she writes in an excerpt published by People, “I thought to myself: Maria, this doesn’t have to be the end of you. It can’t be the end of you. Make it a new beginning of you.”

But the path forward was anything but easy. Shriver recounts feeling “consumed with grief” and overwhelmed by anger, fear, sadness, and anxiety. “It broke my heart, it broke my spirit, it broke what was left of me,” she confesses, illustrating how the revelation upended her sense of self and left her uncertain about her place in the world.

The Fallout

Shriver filed for divorce in 2011, the same year Schwarzenegger publicly admitted to the affair during a counseling session. In his 2023 documentary Arnold, Schwarzenegger acknowledged the immense pain his actions caused. “I have caused enough pain for my family because of my f–k up,” he said, reflecting on the hurt endured by Shriver, their four children, Joseph, and his mother.

Though the former couple finalized their divorce in 2021 and maintain a cordial relationship, Shriver’s healing process was long and deeply introspective. She candidly writes in her memoir about seeking various forms of guidance, from therapists and healers to shamans and psychics—even spending time in a cloistered convent—on her journey to rediscover herself.

Redefining Her Beliefs

Through this experience, Shriver came to confront and challenge many of her past beliefs. She reflects on the misconceptions she once held about self-worth and aging, writing, “I used to believe that if you didn’t have a partner, you must be unworthy and unloveable. I’ve learned that nothing could be further from the truth.”

Shriver also acknowledges the mistaken belief that someone else could provide her with safety, worth, and peace. In coming to terms with these truths, she has found a renewed sense of strength and independence.

A New Beginning

In I Am Maria, Shriver invites readers to witness not just her moments of despair, but also her journey toward healing and self-discovery. Her memoir, out April 1, offers a raw and hopeful account of how she transformed a devastating chapter into an opportunity for growth, resilience, and a new understanding of her own value.