Clint Eastwood's girlfriend dies at 61

Christina Sandera, Clint Eastwood's longtime partner, has died at the age of 61.

"Christina was a wonderful, caring woman and I will miss her very much," the 94-year-old Oscar winner told The Hollywood Reporter.

The cause of death is unclear.

Eastwood and Sander met when she was working as a hostess at his Mission Ranch hotel in California's Monterey Peninsula. Eastwood lived there for decades.

The couple escapes the limelight and chooses a quiet life together in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a small coastal town where Eastwood was also mayor a while back.

Sandera did accompany the "Gran Torino" star to many events, especially those associated with his films. At the 2015 Oscars, his film "American Sniper" was nominated for six awards, including best picture. He brought Sandera as his lady, marking the couple's first public appearance together. | BGNES