Arnold Schwarzenegger delayed his Hollywood comeback
Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has decided to put his acting career on hold as he braced for what could be a costly divorce prompted by revelations that he had an affair and child with a housekeeper who worked for his family for 20 years.
The former “Terminator” actor told his talent agency to postpone all his movie projects that are currently under way or being negotiated until further notice, a statement from Schwarzenegger’s office said.
“Gov. Schwarzenegger is focusing on personal matters and is not willing to commit to any production schedules or timelines,” the statement said.
His wife, Maria Shriver, the Kennedy heiress and former network TV anchor, stands to cash in big-time financially, according to prominent divorce attorneys. “Every judge would know about what happened, and I think would hold it against him,” said attorney Robert Nachshin, who has represented the ex-wives of a who’s who of entertainers that includes Will Smith, Rod Stewart and John Ritter. “Judges are human beings, and Maria will definitely be the sympathetic spouse.”
Schwarzenegger has been married to Maria Shriver for over 25 five years and the couple has four children together. On May 16, 2011, the Los Angeles Times revealed that Schwarzenegger had fathered a son more than thirteen years earlier with an employee in their household, Mildred ‘Patty’ Baena. “After leaving the governor’s office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement issued to The Times. What Schwarzenegger failed to mention was that he confessed to his wife only after she confronted him with the information, after confirming what she had suspected about the child, in an earlier confrontation with the housekeeper.
“It seems to me that he has gratuitously embarrassed her. This should greatly enhance settlement negotiations,” said Atlanta attorney John Mayoue, who has represented Chris Rock in a paternity suit, baseball star David Justice in his split with actress Halle Berry, and other celebrities.
Still, the most surprising thing about the case, the attorneys said, is the public found out.
“In my experience what Arnold did is not unusual,” said Nachshin, who has represented clients who hid the existence of children from their wives and others.
