Clint Eastwood's Longtime Girlfriend, Christina Sandera, Dead At 61

The following article includes mentions of domestic abuse allegations.

Clint Eastwood's longtime girlfriend, Christina Sandera, has tragically passed away at 61. According to People, "The Mule" actor revealed the heartbreaking news in a statement shared to the Carmel Pine newspaper. Eastwood said, "Christina was a lovely, caring woman, and I will miss her very much." No further details or the cause of death were revealed in the statement. 

Sandera lived a very private life and much of her relationship with Eastwood was kept out of the spotlight. However, it was reported that the couple met in 2014 — not long after his divorce from ex-wife, Dina Eastwood. Sandera worked as a hostess at the Mission Ranch Hotel, one of the actor's many properties, and hit it off with Clint. The pair kept their relationship tightly under wraps, only appearing at red carpets here and there. The last red carpet that the couple attended was in November 2019, five years before Sandera's death. The two walked hand in hand for the AFI Fest and beamed with smiles from ear to ear. Although not much was known about their romance, it was evident that the two cared for one another deeply, as the actor continues to mourn the loss of his longtime partner. 

For the most part, Christina Sandera liked to keep her name out of the headlines throughout her relationship with Clint Eastwood. But not long after the couple sparked their romance, Sandera's dodgy past came to light. In 2015, the Daily Mail reported that during her relationship with her ex, Paul Wainscoat, she had been arrested for domestic battery. 

According to the outlet, in 2003, before the couple wed, Wainscoat called authorities claiming that Sandera attacked him. Sandera's ex wound up not pressing charges, but a similar incident would occur just a year later. Not long after tying the knot, Wainscoat phoned officials once more alleging that he "was being battered by his wife." Wainscoat ended up divorcing Sandera and bashed her for being an alcoholic and gold-digger. She denied all the allegations made toward her, and clearly, this situation didn't affect her relationship with Eastwood. 

As of what the public knows, Sandera and Eastwood never had the problems she and her ex did. Instead, the two were head over heels for one another. In 2020, an insider revealed about their relationship to Closer, "He's truly happy with her. She's fun, easygoing and his kids like her, too. She's on an even keel like he is." The two complimented one another well and had seemed to move past whatever happened in their prior relationships.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.