Maria Shriver opens up about wanting to be known as an individual rather than ‘a Kennedy’ in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on her Facebook Watch show, SuperSoul.
Maria, 62, is the daughter of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver. Eunice was was one of Joseph and Rose Kennedy’s nine children, three of whom became senators and one became our president.
‘I think I felt lost growing up, a lot of the time, because I was always “a Kennedy” without a first name and without really my own identity,’ Maria said in a clip from the show shared on its Instagram page.
‘It wasn’t, like, “a thing” to be Eunice’s daughter, and I was really determined to become Maria.’
The full interview airs on OWN TV and streams on the SuperSoul Facebook page on Sunday at 11.00am Eastern.
Maria Shriver opens up about wanting to be known as an individual rather than ‘a Kennedy’ in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on her Facebook Watch show, SuperSoul, which streams on Sunday at 11am EST
Even though it wasn’t “a thing,” from Maria’s perspective, to be her mother’s daughter, Eunice Kennedy Shriver was a force to be reckoned with, right up until her death in 2009.
Eunice founded the Special Olympics in 1968, 15 years after marrying Sargent Shriver, who was the founding director of the Peace Corps. The two had five children together, including Maria and four sons, all of whom were expected to rise to nothing less than excellence.
And even so, Maria shared with Oprah that she felt like growing up as Eunice’s daughter placed her into a sort of second-rate category to those outside of her family.
Maria is shown here with her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, at an event in 2004
Maria (back row, second from left) is seen here with her mother Eunice (front row, left) and more members of the Kennedy family in a photo posted to her personal website
‘People would come up to me and say, “Which Kennedy are you?” and I’d be like, “Well, I’m Maria,” and they’re like, “No, no, no, but which… are you Bobby’s daughter, are you Ted’s…,”‘ she said.
‘I was, like “No, I’m Eunice’s daughter. And they’re like, “[Disappointed clicking of tounge] Well, where’s Bobby’s kids or where’s Teddy’s kids or where’s Caroline?”‘
Oprah, however, is one person who doesn’t hold that view of Maria, or Eunice, as apparent from the following post on her personal Instagram page:
‘Maria has been my friend since we were both young reporters in Baltimore. Her wisdom and open heart is what the world needs more of right now.’
Former First Lady Betty Ford (left) was interviewed by Maria Shriver during her time at NBC News for a special about causes and treatments of addiction, which aired in August 1989
Gathering at the home of their grandfather to wish him a belated ‘Happy birthday,’ 17 of the grandchildren of Joseph P. Kennedy pose together for the occasion; Left to right, front row, Sydney Lawford, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Michael Kennedy, Maria Shriver, Courtney and Mary Kerry Kennedy. Middle row, Timothy Shriver, Victoria Lawford, Kara Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, Robert Shriver and Kathleen Kennedy holding John F. Kennedy Jr. in her arms. Back row, Joseph Kennedy, David Kennedy, Mr. Kennedy who was 73 September 6th, Stephen Smith Jr. and Christopher Lawford
Maria’s open heart was on full display in another clip of her interview with Oprah, as the media dynasty asked her to finally reveal what it was really like growing up as the daughter of Eunice.
‘Well, it was awesome because she was awesome, and also it was challenging because she was a huge force,’ Maria said.
‘She thought everybody could change the world and had no interest in anybody unless you were changing the world. She was demanding, she expected a lot of you. She was certainly my biggest cheerleader.’
Maria shared with Oprah how it was apparent that her mother was something special, even to her friends in high school. She recalled how when she’d have friends stay over after a night out, they’d wake up in the morning to a stack of articles to read and things that Eunice’s daughter should do, lining the stairs.
‘They would go all the way up the steps. I was very aware that my mother was unique,’ Maria said.
Maria is seen her in her wedding dress at her wedding to Arnold Schwarzenegger on April 26, 1986; The bridesmaids from the left are: Renee Schink, Charlotte Hambro, Sydney Lawford McElvey, Counrtney Kennedy, Alexa Halaby, and Caroline Kennedy. The ushers are Timothy Shriver, Robert Shriver, Anthony Shriver, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Patrick Knapp, Albert Busek, and Karl Schwarzenegger. The front row consists of Mitsuo Kawashima, Neal Nordlinger, Mark Shriver, James Lorimer, Franco Columbu,(best man) Bill Drake, John Ruddy, ringbearer, and Al Ruddy, crossbearer.
Maria is seen here with her four children from her marriage to Schwarzenegger; Left to right: Katherine (28), Maria, Christopher (20), Christina (26), and Patrick (24)
Due in no small part to her mother’s influence, Maria grew up to be a dedicated mother to four of her own children, an award winning journalist, author, creator of an initiative called Architects of Change, and First Lady of California.
During the latter role, Maria started the Minerva Awards, worked on behalf of families struggling with poverty and ‘built the world’s largest women’s conference to empower women from all walks of life,’according to her personal website.
Even with all of her success, Maria shared that it could be frustrating that people don’t always seem to acknowledge the work that she’s put in to get where she is today.
‘People also say to me, “Well, ya know, of course it’s easy for you to give a speech, it’s easy for you to write a book, it’s easy for you to get over this and that,”‘ she told Oprah.
‘No. It’s not. It’s not easy,’ Maria said, setting the record straight.
‘It’s like, I’m a human being too. People always are, like, surprised that anything seems to be difficult for me for some reason. And perhaps I projected that.’
It may also have had something to do with the wildly successful lives of most of the Kennedys, including her late uncles, President John F. Kennedy and Senators Robert F. Kennedy (‘Bobby’) and Edward Moore Kennedy (‘Ted’).
Maria shares more about her upbringing, her personal struggles and what she’s up to now, in the full interview which streams on Sunday at 11.00am Eastern, airs on OWN TV and can be heard on the SuperSoul conversations podcast.
Maria (left) shares more with Oprah (right) about her upbringing, her personal struggles and what she’s up to now, in the full interview which streams on Sunday at 11.00am Eastern, airs on OWN TV and can be heard on the SuperSoul conversations podcast