Arnold Schwarzenegger's Candid Confession: First Meeting with Maria Shriver's Mom and Complimenting Her Daughter's Beauty

Arnold Schwarzenegger • Maria Shriver • Mildred Patricia Baena • Joseph Baena: Arnold Schwarzenegger Reflects on Meeting Maria Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver in a Netflix Docuseries

In a Netflix docuseries called "Arnold," Arnold Schwarzenegger shares the story of how he met his future wife, Maria Shriver, and her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, in 1977. The encounter took place during the Robert F. Kennedy Pro-Celebrity Tennis Tournament, an annual charity event to which Schwarzenegger was personally invited by the Kennedys. Despite having no experience with tennis, Schwarzenegger saw it as an opportunity to gain exposure as an up-and-coming actor.

During a pre-tournament party attended by the Kennedys, Eunice introduced Schwarzenegger to her daughter, Maria. In a playful and somewhat unexpected manner, Schwarzenegger remarked to Eunice that Maria had a "really nice ass." Reflecting on the incident, Schwarzenegger admits it was a foolish thing to say and doesn't know why he said it.

Schwarzenegger's match caught Maria's attention, as she watched him intently throughout the game. Afterward, Maria and her sister Caroline approached Schwarzenegger, and Maria invited him to join them in Hyannis Port that evening. They spent time together swimming in the ocean and on the Kennedys' boat, where a connection began to form between them.

The next day, Schwarzenegger accompanied the Kennedys to church, feeling out of place in his tennis shorts. Despite the unconventional circumstances, he fell in love with Maria, not because of her Kennedy lineage but because of her extraordinary personality. Both Schwarzenegger and Maria shared a desire to escape from their respective backgrounds, which marked the beginning of their relationship.

Nearly nine years after their first meeting, Schwarzenegger and Shriver exchanged vows in April 1986. Their wedding took place in a church in Hyannis, Massachusetts, and was attended by Shriver's family and numerous notable figures from the entertainment industry. The couple went on to have four children together.

In 2011, Schwarzenegger and Shriver announced their divorce after 25 years of marriage. The public also learned about Schwarzenegger's secret son from an affair he had with their household staff member. The divorce process took a decade and was finalized in late 2021. Despite the separation, the former couple remains amicable, continuing to celebrate holidays and special occasions together as a family.