Schwarzenegger inches back after child disclosure

In this Oct. 2, 2009 file photo, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver pose for photos before they meet at the second Governors' Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles. The former California governor originally indicated in a divorce filing that he does not want to pay Shriver spousal support. Schwarzenegger filed an amended response in his divorce Monday, July 25, 2011 indicating that he is now willing to pay Shriver spousal support and for her divorce lawyer. Shriver filed divorce papers July 1, to end their marriage of 25 years. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

LOS ANGELES — Arnold Schwarzenegger is making a comeback.

The former California governor is scheduled to give a speech in Los Angeles Thursday in another sign he’s gradually getting back into the public eye after confirming in May that he fathered an out-of-wedlock son with a woman who was then his housekeeper.

Once among the most public of men, Schwarzenegger has appeared in public only sporadically in recent months.

In the days after he split with wife Maria Shriver, he told his talent agency to postpone his movie projects. His Twitter account — once busy with posts and photos from afar — fell out of use.

He hired a divorce lawyer, and the former Hollywood star known to crave the spotlight went into a self-imposed exile to sort out his family problems.

That’s been slowly changing.

He started tweeting again in late June when he traveled to his native Austria for an environmental conference, far from his troubles in the U.S. Last month, he announced he will return to acting with a starring role in the Lionsgate film “Last Stand.” Schwarzenegger will play a border-town sheriff who unwittingly finds himself battling a notorious drug kingpin on the run.

His appearance Thursday before a business group at a downtown hotel is apparently his first public speech in California since he acknowledged fathering his now teenage son with the former maid Mildred Baena.

The speech comes in the midst of his divorce, which is unfolding largely behind closed doors. Last month he withdrew a request for a judge to terminate Shriver’s right to spousal support, and he clarified that he is willing to pay his estranged wife’s attorney.

Once a popular governor, Schwarzenegger returns to the public stage with his image badly bruised. One poll taken after disclosures about the out-of-wedlock son and his split with Shriver found nine of 10 voters in his home county of Los Angeles didn’t like him.