'Your daughter has a nice a**': Arnold Schwarzenegger recalls awkward meeting with ex Maria Shriver's mom
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In his upcoming documentary, Arnold Schwarzenegger reflects on a regretful comment he made to ex-wife Maria Shriver's mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, during their first meeting. This revelation is part of a three-part docuseries titled 'Arnold', which debuts on Netflix on June 7.
The 75-year-old actor opened up about the incident, which occurred in 1977 when he was introduced to Maria at a party by her late mother Eunice. "[Eunice] came up to me and said, 'It's so good to have you here. By the way, this is my daughter Maria Shriver,'" Arnold recalled. "Then, later on she said, 'My daughter is really fond of you,' and I said, ''Well, your daughter has a really nice ass. I have to tell you that'," Arnold said.
'I really fell in love with Maria'
In the Netflix documentary, Arnold openly acknowledged his mistake. "What a stupid thing to say. I don't even know why I said it," Arnold said, as per People. The 'Terminator' star added, "I really fell in love with Maria, not because she was a Kennedy but because she had an extraordinary personality. I could see that little rebel in her. I wanted to escape from Austria, she also wanted to escape. That was the beginning of Maria and I."
What was Maria Shriver's profession when she met Arnold?
Maria Shriver was working as a television journalist and correspondent for NBC News when she first met Arnold Schwarzenegger. Prior to that, she attended Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York, for two years before transferring to Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where she graduated in June 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies.
Arnold and Maria tied the knot in 1986 and have four children together, Katherine, Christina, Patrick, and Christopher. However, it was revealed that Arnold also has a son named Joseph Baena, who was the result of an affair with a former household staffer named Mildred Baena. Unfortunately, the revelation of the affair led to strains in Arnold and Maria's relationship, and Maria filed for divorce in July 2011, citing "irreconcilable differences" upon discovering the infidelity.
In the documentary, Arnold revealed that Maria had a strong reaction when he informed her about his intention to run for the position of Governor of California. The first episode of the documentary also delves into the experiences of Arnold and his late brother Meinhard, growing up as the sons of a decorated Nazi soldier. Their father's return from the war as a traumatized person led to a cycle of abuse within their family.