Why Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Son Won’t Use His Famous Last Name

There’s a reason why you won’t hear Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son Joseph Baena use his famous father’s last name. Baena, whom the former California governor shares with Mildred Patricia Baena, explained why he doesn’t use the “Schwarzenegger” surname. He told E! News‘ Daily Pop that the reason behind his decision ties back to his burgeoning acting career. 

Baena told host Morgan Stewart and guest host Loni Love that there are a “few different variables” when it comes to his decision to not use “Schwarzenegger.” He explained that he wants to forge his own path when it comes to his own journey working in both the entertainment and real estate industries. Baena shared, “But that’s just not my main priority at the moment, so I’m just focused on building myself up and building my career in acting and real estate and just focusing on that right now.” While he isn’t using his father’s last name, he does have a close relationship with the Terminator star. 

“I mean, my dad is a stallion. He’s a man’s man, I like to think, and I look up to him a lot,” he continued. “So in a way, he’s influenced a lot of things: the path that I have taken with acting, with fitness and my physique and the many other things that I’m doing.” Baena is following in his father’s footsteps when it comes to his acting career. He will next appear in the Bitflix movie Lava, which he described as a “fun horror thriller.” Of course, he’s also looking to the future and told the hosts what he wants to tackle next. Baena said that his dream film role would be to portray a cowboy in a Western movie. He shared that he’s ready to “wear the hat, the boots” and added that he already knows how to ride horses, which he does a bit of in Lava. 

Not only does Baena have a flourishing acting career ahead of him, but he’s also gotten into the real estate game. In May 2021, Page Six reported that he launched a career in the real estate business. Baena wrote on Instagram that he would be working mainly in West Los Angeles and Silicon Beach, writing, “Looking forward to growing and learning from my amazing team @aria_properties , but more so looking forward to putting you guys in a new home!”