Arnold Schwarzenegger blames himself for his “hard” separation from his ex-wife Maria Shriver in 2011.
The actor compared himself to his role in the new Netflix series “FUBAR,” and debated whether his character Luke’s marriage, which failed due to infidelity, was “intentionally autobiographical.”
“We were laughing about it — it feels like a documentary,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in a new interview published Tuesday.
“The difference is, he doesn’t see it as cheating on the show because [seducing CIA assets] It was part of his profession. He moved out because his wife never came home and now he has the same dilemma as his daughter because her daughter is doing the same job and it will ruin her relationship too.”
Schwarzenegger added, “But [my real-life marriage to Shriver], that was my fk-up. This was my failure.”
The “Terminator” star has denied that he misses being married in real life, although his character has said that his character is “secretly still in love with his wife,” and gushed out of love with his girlfriend, Heather Mulligan.
“[The divorce] It was very, very difficult in the beginning,” the former bodybuilder explained. “You’re finally going to move on. I have a great girlfriend. [physical therapist] The very successful Heather Milligan. I am really proud of him and I love him.”
While Shriver, 67, and Schwarzenegger, 75, ended their marriage 12 years ago, they said they had a friendly relationship and did a great job raising their four children: Katherine, 33, Christina, 31, Patrick, 29 and Christopher. 25.
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“He and I are really good friends and very close and we are very proud of the way we raise our children. Even though we had this drama, we did Easter, Mother’s Day, Christmas, all birthdays – everything together.”
He continued, “If there’s Oscar for how to deal with divorce, Maria and I should get it because we have the least impact on the kids. The sweetness and kindness you see in them is from my wife. Discipline and work ethic is on me.”
The former First Lady of California filed for divorce in July 2011 after the “Commando” actor adopted their longtime housekeeper, Mildred Patricia Baena, and 25-year-old father-son Joseph Baena. However, their divorce was not finalized until December 2021.
In February, Shriver pondered divorce and shared that she had “sobbed” after getting advice from a monastery’s abbess after she broke up.
“[She said]’You can’t come and live here…but you’re allowed to go out and be Maria.’”
The journalist said she remembers giving him “permission to start learning” when leaving the contract.