Who was Christina Sandera? Clint Eastwood's longtime girlfriend passes away at 61

Clint Eastwood announced that his longtime partner, Christina Sandera, has passed away at 61. They had been dating since 2014 after meeting in California.

The 94-year-old American Sniper star released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter Thursday evening. He shared a short message about Sandera's passing, which was quoted:

"Christina was a lovely, caring woman, and I will miss her very much."

Eastwood's representative also shared the news via his officially authorized account on X (formerly Twitter) on July 19, 2024, writing:

"Saddened to report that Clint Eastwood's longtime companion Christina has passed away at age 61."

There are no further details about Sandera's death. Moreover, a spokesperson from Warner Bros. confirmed that no further information would be released.

Christina Sandera was a longtime resident of Carmel-by-the-sea, California. She was a hostess working at Mission Ranch Hotel and Restaurant, which was owned by the actor when they first met in 2014. The couple has kept their romantic life private and were seldom photographed together in their decade-long relationship.

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A closer look at Clint Eastwood and Christina Sandera's relationship

News of the couple's romance first came out in June 2014. The two reportedly met while she was working in Carmel-by-the-sea, at California Mission Ranch Hotel and Restaurant which was owned by Eastwood. At the time, the A Fistful of Dollars star was still legally married to his estranged wife, former TV reporter Dina Eastwood. They finalized their separation about six months after Eastwood's new romance was made public.

The two had kept their romance away from the public eye throughout their decade-long relationship. But despite Christina Sandera not being from show business, she often attended red-carpet events in support of Clint Eastwood. She became the actor-director's leading lady during premieres and award shows. They were seen at the 2015 Academy Awards when Eastwood's American Sniper was nominated for six Oscars.

Sandera was also present during the Sully premiere in 2016, then later in 2018 for the premieres of The Mule and The 15:17 to Paris. They were also arm-in-arm during the May 2017 Vanity Fair and Chopard Party in celebration of the year's Cannes Film Festival.

Their last public image before Christina Sandera's passing was nearly five years before her death. The two were walking the red carpet at the AFI Fest in Hollywood, California in November 2019, attending the premiere of Richard Jewell, the crime-thriller directed by Eastwood.

The actor-director looked dapper in his dark three-piece suit with a striped necktie while Sandera opted for a sheer printed, long-sleeved dress and rocked a full head of gray hair during their rare outing.

Christina Sandera and Clint Eastwood had never tied the knot, but Sandera was reportedly welcomed with open arms by the Cry Macho actor's children and was very much part of his blended family.