Arnold Schwarzenegger opened a lighthearted jab about his divorce from Maria Shriver during Chris Wallace’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony on Thursday, joking that “the only difference between Chris and Maria is that Chris has never taken half of my money.” He also invoked his iconic line “Hasta la vista, baby” to punctuate the moment as he saluted Wallace’s long career in journalism.
Schwarzenegger, 78, told the crowd that he knows a fantastic journalist because he has been interviewed by thousands of journalists—and he has also been married to one. The quip came as he saluted Wallace at a star ceremony that underscored the actor’s enduring ties to both Hollywood and public life while also highlighting the sprawling, high-profile family that has grown around him and Maria Shriver.
Shriver, 69, comes from the Kennedy political dynasty. Her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was the sister of the late President John F. Kennedy, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and Senator Ted Kennedy. Schwarzenegger and Shriver married in 1986, separated in 2011, and finalized their divorce in 2021. The couple share four children—Katherine, 35; Christina, 34; Patrick, 32; and Christopher, 27—and Schwarzenegger is also a father to Joseph Baena, 27, with former housekeeper Mildred Patricia Baena, a result of an affair that became public in 2011.
The Walk of Fame moment came as public interest swirled around the Schwarzenegger family. Maria Shriver’s memoir, published earlier this year, delves into the decade’s most brutal moment for the family. In I Am Maria, she describes the moment she learned of the infidelity as she was processing personal losses. “I was consumed with grief and wracked with confusion, anger, fear, sadness and anxiety,” she wrote, recounting the chaos that accompanied the revelation. “As I sat on my hotel room floor in the dark, alone with tears streaming down my face, I thought to myself: Maria, this doesn’t have to be the end of you.” She also wrote about confronting beliefs about aging and being alone, emphasizing resilience in the face of public scrutiny.
Shriver’s memoir and the subsequent years have kept the family in the public eye, alongside the ongoing careers of their children. The Schwartzeneggers remain a frequent subject of entertainment headlines as the family navigates public life, personal reconciliation, and the ongoing effects of the divorce on extended relatives.
In the years since the split, reports have surfaced about tensions within the blended family. TMZ reported in September that Baena was not invited to Patrick’s wedding in Idaho, with sources saying he has limited or no relationships with that side of the family. The family dynamic has also been reflected in public appearances; in June, Schwarzenegger celebrated Season 2 of his Netflix series FUBAR with his kids, though photos showed them grouped separately, underscoring ongoing complexities within the broader clan.
Katherine Schwarzenegger and Christina Schwarzenegger have continued their own professional and personal trajectories, with Katherine’s public presence often tied to her marriage to Chris Pratt and her work in publishing and charitable causes.
Baena, who has pursued acting and recently discussed his use of his mother’s surname, has described his path as an effort to forge his own identity. “My family is very big in supporting from afar and not being so hands-on,” he told a broadcaster, adding that he aims to establish independence. “I think the main thing is I’m trying to do things on my own.” He has since pursued acting roles, including appearances alongside established actors and releases in recent years.
Patrick Schwarzenegger and Joseph Baena have each walked their own paths in the entertainment industry. Patrick appeared in Season 3 of The White Lotus, while Baena headlined the action thriller Gunner in 2024. Their father has publicly supported their efforts while maintaining a sense of humor about the family’s high-profile status. In 2023, Page Six noted Baena’s good relationship with his father but cautioned that he wasn’t necessarily close with the other children, a dynamic that has evolved with time.
As Schwarzenegger continues to balance his film career, public appearances, and ongoing family narratives, Thursday’s Walk of Fame moment offered a blend of humor and reflection. The star ceremony for Chris Wallace highlighted not only Wallace’s journalism career but also the enduring crossovers between entertainment, media, and family legend that keep the Schwarzenegger narrative in the spotlight.
The broader arc of the family’s story—spanning marriage, divorce, public perception, and the attempts to build new legacies—continues to unfold in real time. Schwarzenegger’s willingness to lean into humor about personal history at a star ceremony underscores how the line between entertainment and private life remains porous for one of Hollywood’s most recognizable families. As the siblings pursue their own endeavors and the parents navigate the limits of public life, the Schwartzens family narrative remains a topic of constant interest for fans and media alike.
