Clint Eastwood’s long-term partner Christina Sandera dies aged 61

Christina Sandera and director Clint Eastwood seen together in Los Angeles in 2016. Photo / Jason LaVeris

Christina Sandera has died at the age of 61.

The former hostess was best known for her long-term relationship with Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, 94, and had been together with him for almost a decade when she passed away on Thursday, but a cause of death has not been announced.

Eastwood told The Hollywood Reporter: “Christina was a lovely, caring woman, and I will miss her very much.”

A spokesperson for the Gran Torino star, who was married to Maggie Johnson from 1953 until 1984, then to Dina Ruiz from 1996 until 2014 but has eight known children by six women, confirmed to the outlet that no further comment will be given at this stage.

Eastwood and Sandera are thought to have met when she was working at the Mission Ranch Hotel and Restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, and started dating in 2014.

The pair did not give much away about their private life, but Sandera did accompany Eastwood to many high-profile events such as the 2015 Academy Awards.

Since finding fame as a Hollywood star, Eastwood has also carved out another career as a top director in the movie business and admitted in 2021 that he has no intention of slowing down even though he had by then entered his 90s.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times newspaper about his reasons for continuing to work, he said: “I just like it. I have nothing against other directors, but I might have a whole different take on things and I don’t want to be thinking, ‘Why did I give it to him?’

”What the hell am I still working for in my 90s? Are people going to start throwing tomatoes at you?

”I’ve gotten to the point where I wondered if that was enough, but not to the point where I decided it was. If you roll out a few turkeys, they’ll tell you soon enough.”