Cristina Raines

Cristina Raines (née Cristina Herazo; born February 28, 1952) is an American former actress, model, and later a registered nurse who left a memorable imprint on 1970s horror cinema and 1980s television drama. Born in Manila, Philippines to American parents, she spent her early childhood in Venezuela before settling in Coral Gables, Florida, where she grew up amid a multicultural family heritage that included Colombian, Swedish, German, and Scots‑Irish roots. After graduating from high school in Boston and briefly attending the Chandler School for Women, Raines moved to New York City around 1970 and signed with the Ford Modeling Agency, where Eileen Ford encouraged her to audition for acting roles. Her breakthrough came with the lead role in the independent horror film Hex (1973), billed as Tina Herazo, where she met future partner Keith Carradine; the pair dated until 1979. Raines quickly followed with supporting parts in The Stone Killer and a poignant performance as a terminally‑ill mother in the TV movie Sunshine (1973). In 1975 she appeared as a folk singer in Robert Altman's ensemble comedy Nashville, and later starred in the supernatural horror The Sentinel (1977) and Ridley Scott’s period debut The Duellists (also 1977). Her television career peaked with the role of Lucinda McKeag Zendt in the epic miniseries Centennial (1978) and a two‑year stint as Lane Ballou in NBC’s Flamingo Road (1980‑1982). Throughout the 1980s she added guest appearances on series such as Riptide, Hotel, and Highway to Heaven, while also appearing in films like Nightmares (1983) and Real Life (1984). In 1986 she married writer‑producer Christopher Crowe, with whom she has two children, and she retired from acting in 1991 to pursue a nursing career specializing in kidney dialysis patients, a vocation she continues to practice. Her diverse career, spanning modeling, film, television, and healthcare, showcases a rare adaptability and enduring commitment to personal growth.