Clint Eastwood reportedly 'having a hard time' dealing with arrest of daughter following the death of his girlfriend

By 
 October 19, 2024

Famed Hollywood actor and director Clint Eastwood is set to premier his latest film, which would presumably be a happy time for him.

Unfortunately, Eastwood, 94, is reportedly "struggling" to cope with two recent personal tragedies -- the arrest of his daughter this week on domestic violence charges and the death of his beloved girlfriend just a few months earlier, according to The Mercury News.

Per an unnamed inside source, the Hollywood star is "having a hard time dealing with" the July death of his girlfriend, Christina Sandera, 61, and the felony arrest of his daughter Francesca Eastwood, 31, following a fight with her boyfriend.

Christina Sandera dead from a heart attack

People magazine reported in July that Eastwood's girlfriend Sandera, whom he began dating in 2014 when she worked as a hostess at a hotel he owned, had passed away from a heart attack.

Aside from a handful of red carpet appearances at film premiers and award shows, the couple led a rather private life together in the small coastal town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, where Eastwood previously served as the mayor.

Following her death, the grieving Hollywood star released a brief statement that said, "Christina was a lovely, caring woman, and I will miss her very much."

Francesca Eastwood arrested for domestic violence

Fast-forward three months, and TMZ reported this week that Eastwood's daughter Francesca was arrested and charged by the Beverly Hills Police Department with felony domestic violence after she got into a physical dispute with her boyfriend, identified separately by Mercury News as actor and personal trainer Alexander Wraith.

According to the police, the couple got into a fight while driving around Beverly Hills and she physically assaulted him, which prompted a 911 call and instructions for him to drive to the police station, where officers met them.

After officers spoke with both parties about what happened and observed "visible injuries" to the boyfriend -- who declined medical aid -- Francesca was arrested and charged with felony domestic violence and was then released after posting a $50,000 bond.

The arrest of his daughter

"Clint is having a hard time dealing with all the recent lows in his life," an unnamed source close to Eastwood told the Daily Mail for an exclusive report. "Francesca's arrest could not have come at a worse time in his life because he is feeling pretty sad about losing his girlfriend three months ago. To say he is feeling down is a gross understatement."

The source claimed that Eastwood feels that "things are out of control in a way that they were not before," and while it is "extremely important" to him to be a good father to his daughter "as she sorts through this mess," he also needs to take the time to focus on handling his own issues.

The insider further noted that Eastwood and his daughter have a close relationship and he fully supports her, but given his age, "You just want peace when you are older, you don't want this drama. And this is drama. When cops get involved it is big drama. He is surprised, but will be there for Francesca."

The death of his girlfriend

As for the death of Sandera in July, the source said its been particularly tough for Eastwood to deal with. "He was really in love with her and they got along well. He would tell his pals that he wished he had met her much sooner like when he was in his 30s. He wanted more time with her."

"He loved Christina because there was no drama with her, she was so easy to be with. She didn't want to become a reality TV star and she was not an actress. There was no agenda at all and he appreciated that," the friend added. "A lot of women Clint has been with wanted something from him, but Christina didn't."

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