Clint Eastwood is known for being an incredibly famous and successful actor and director and has even showcased his talents in composing and producing during his vast career, which has spanned more than 70 years. Finding success in a variety of films and television series, including “Rawhide” and “Dirty Harry,” the handsome actor with a serious-looking squint worked hard at making a name for himself and earned plenty of recognition and awards along the way. Most importantly, Clint has continued to do whatever he can for the betterment of those around him and his loved ones.
Born on May 31, 1930, Clint grew up in an affluent family that didn’t have many financial struggles, and he soon found his footing in the acting industry. Despite being surrounded by celebrities and some of the finest luxuries, Clint has never forgotten to honor the simplicity of life and its offerings. Starring in a plethora of Western shows and movies, it should come as no surprise that Clint has a soft spot in his heart for the great outdoors and ranches.
Similar to how successful movie star and director Clint has a deep history, so does his property called the Mission Ranch. Like many men before him who first set eyes on the Carmel-by-the-Sea estate in California, Clint became completely enamored with the old ranch. Nearing 100 years old, Clint has shown no signs of slowing down in the entertainment industry nor in the process of maintaining or fixing up Mission Ranch. After transforming the film and television industry, Clint embarked on transforming the timeworn Mission Ranch. It wasn’t easy; it wasn’t cheap, but he did it.
The Ranch And The Star
Clint was only 21 years old when he first set foot on Mission Ranch on his way to the Fort Ord military base after being drafted. The young man had been looking for a place to unwind and have something affordable to eat. Unlike how they stand today, initially, the buildings in Mission Ranch were a combination of the Fort Ord officers’ club and a dairy farm.
Before being drafted, Clint had been a lumberjack. After being discharged, he did not have many ideas about what to do. However, when he went into Mission Ranch, he immediately fell in love with the vibe.
“The first time I saw the place I thought it was terrific,” he said, according to Architectural Digest. “Visually it was something else, and I thought it was the place I’d like to call home. So I kind of adopted Carmel.”
The Mission Ranch is a magnificent piece of property located on the lush wetlands, exactly where the Carmel River meets the Pacific Ocean. As you can imagine, the ranch has breathtaking views of the sea along with scenic views of the Monterey coastline and the spectacular curve of the beach. It’s no wonder this place is considered one of the most beautiful places in Northern California. The area is also home to many goats, horses and sheep, all of which you can spot grazing in the green pasture below strands of eucalyptus and oak. Of course, it’s very difficult to miss heroin fish and ducks moving at the riverside as well. The culmination of all these factors gives the area the lush, open, natural and adventurous feeling that swept Clint off his feet.
Eastwood vs. The City Council
More than 40 years later, the smitten young man grew up to become one of the most popular and successful actors and directors in the world. Clint’s fierce, carved smile and grizzled chin made him the perfect fit for dozens of classic roles, including a singer in “Honkytonk Man” and a detective in “Dirty Harry.” His revisionist Western, “Unforgiven,” earned him two Academy Awards. Today, this legendary star is the newest owner of the tastefully refurbished Mission Ranch.
When Clint moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s, he starred in a popular television series called “Rawhide.” By that time, he had bought his first house in Monterey. Before long, he had migrated to California’s rugged central coast permanently. Clint became a passionate golfer. He frequented the Pebble Beach Golf Course located on Carmel Bay. This is the place where the first film he directed was shot, and it was filled with images of the rocky Monterey Peninsula.
“I just gradually became part of the community,” Clint said. “Carmel gave me a different perspective from the movie business.”
During the 1980s, Clint decided to renovate a certain building of his that was located downtown. Unfortunately, the city council of Carmel denied him permission to move ahead with the project, as per Architectural Digest. He discovered that the other poor residents of Carmel had also suffered the same fate and were denied the right to renovate their homes and businesses. The man dramatically rode to defend the powerless and protect the weak, just like he would have done in a movie. Court proceedings started, and Clint won. A year later, he ran for mayor of the town, according to the New York Times.
Victory And Hardships
Clint explained to Architectural Digest:
“We couldn’t get anyone else to do it… so after a few glasses of wine, I said I’d do it. Being a very determined person, I decided to win.” He did everything he could, including knocking on doors, talking to people at several coffee klatches and holding rallies. As you can expect, he was elected by a landslide in 1986.
Although Clint was doing great politically and as a person, the Mission Ranch was floundering. After many years of being unmaintained, the ranch was quickly yielding to the termites, according to the ranch’s website. While its walls split, its screens were rusting and wearing away. Clint watched the ranch rot from his new home in Carmel. He watched as the wetlands invaded the old club’s polo field and swimming pool. The restaurant and hotel were now a sordid refuge for illicit couples and traveling merchants.
Clint decided to drop by to have a closer look. When he did, he saw a lot of broken windows and peeling paint. Notably, some of the windows had been painted black during World War II. Back then, the Carmel residents were expecting the Japanese to invade and attack them over the marshes.
In 1771, Carmel-by-the-Sea was Alta California’s spiritual center. This was when Father Junipero Serra constructed the San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo, which is now Mission Ranch’s elegant neighbor. During the 18th century, the area was first settled by the Spaniards when they converted Monterey into the capital of Alta, California. Carmel also served as a refuge for writers and artists during the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Upton Sinclair, Sinclair Lewis and Robert Louis Stevenson.
Saving Mission Ranch
In 1986, the ranch caught the attention of a developer who wanted to tear the estate down and build a modern high-rise there. Just before he could though, Clint was able to acquire the whole 22 acres together with the shabby buildings on it for a total of $5 million. “I had always loved the place and they were just going to flatten it,” Clint explained to Architectural Digest.
“They said it was obsolete. I thought it should be preserved as what it was.”
Clint soon got to work overhauling the property and years later, much of it was not just refurbished to its former glory but even improved upon. As reported back in 2017, the Mission Ranch’s gleaming buildings currently have 31 deluxe guest rooms, a modern restaurant and a bar, and still offers some of the best views in the state. Clint had already enlisted the help of many professionals to make the ranch as perfect as possible to best capture the beauty he had always seen in it. The chimneys were renovated by a mason who had restored the Mission San Carlos Borromeo. When the ranch required furniture, Clint even brought in a few timeworn pieces from movie sets.
Clint is a popular figure not only on the ranch but also around Carmel. However, he is very private and reclusive. Clint has admitted that he is not the “jolly host” type; rather, he’s a modest and friendly man who readily gives credit to other people and downplays his personal accomplishments. Among some of his proudest achievements must undoubtedly be his eight children, whom he had with six women. Some have even followed in his footsteps in the acting world, no doubt influenced by the enormous presence and influence Clint unintentionally wields.
The Eastwood Clan
Clint’s dating history is complicated and began when he got engaged to his first wife, Maggie Johnson, in 1953. However, Outsider reported that he had an affair with an unnamed woman from Seattle during this time, resulting in the birth of his first child, Laurie. Laurie, who had been put up for adoption, would later discover her parentage and reach out to Clint in the ’80s. This wasn’t the only affair Clint had during his marriage to Johnson, as he also impregnated actress and stunt woman Roxanne Tunis. She gave birth to Clint’s second daughter, Kimber Eastwood, in 1964. Clint and Johnson finally had a child of their own when Kyle Eastwood was born in 1968, followed by Alison Eastwood in 1972. The couple divorced in 1984.
Following this, Clint moved on and had two children with flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves. Their children include Scott Eastwood, who was born in 1986, and Kathryn Eastwood, who was born in 1988. The star continued dating and had another child, Francesca Eastwood, in 1993 with actress Frances Fisher. Finally, it seemed like Clint had found his match, and he settled down with Dina Ruiz in 1996, and she gave birth to Morgan Eastwood later that year. Clint was 72 at the time. The pair later divorced in 2014.
Clint has since found love with Christina Sandera, who is 33 years his junior, but apparently “doesn’t see the point” in getting married again, according to a Closer Weekly source. The couple has been together since 2014, when they met at Sandera’s place of work at Clint’s Mission Ranch Hotel. Their relationship moved quickly, and they moved in together relatively soon. The happy couple is still going strong and, according to Closer Weekly, Sandera has the seal of approval from the entire Eastwood clan.
A New Love & Moving Forward
After dating for almost 10 years, Sandera appears to have integrated well into the Eastwood family and frequently appears in many of their social media posts. One such example was in 2018, when most of the family came together to celebrate Morgan’s graduation from college.
Scott shared a heartfelt post on Instagram with the caption, “So proud of my little sister Graduating college today. Love you so much. You have turned into such a poised and nice young women. Proud to call you my sister.”
Although many of Clint’s children are only half-siblings, they certainly appear as a very tight-knit group and often post photos with each other and support one another on social media. With such a large family, they have definitely discovered the importance of keeping your family close and showcasing their love and affection for one another.
Sandera is also a regular feature on Clint’s arm when he makes public appearances, such as at the Oscars in 2015, and the premieres of Clint’s films “Sully” in 2016 and “The Mule” in 2018. She now lives out her happily married life by Clint’s side at his home in Mission Ranch.
As for Clint, the film legend shows no signs of slowing down, even as he nears 100. After directing and producing the film “Cry Macho” in 2021, the star told the Los Angeles Times while he bore no plans to retire any time soon, the thought has played on his mind. He said:
“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.”
What are your thoughts on Clint Eastwood’s family life and relationship with Christina Sandera? Do you think Mission Ranch is the perfect place to call home? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your friends and family to find out what they think, too!
