From Romania with love BROKENWOOD CRISTINA FINDS HER KIWI WHANAU

The beloved show's mysterious pathologist reveals how love is keeping her in New Zealand

- Rebekah Hebenton

Like many ex-pats, Cristina Ionda has spent the past two years worrying from afar about friends and family during the pandemic, but now she has a new fear as Russia's invasion of Ukraine plays out on her homeland's doorstep.

"It's very scary," says Cristina, who is from Romania and returned for a visit in May this year. "Many people are quite frightened, to be honest."

As a NATO member with a border on the Black Sea, Romania has welcomed more than one million refugees escaping the devastation of the war that began six months ago. The actress is particularly worried about her parents while trying to remain positive.

"I hope everything will be alright. I hope Putin will have an epiphany and realise that what he's doing is very wrong."

Her father Constantine and mum Floarea were safe during the pandemic, at home with their daughter in New Zealand. But now that borders have opened, they have returned to Romania for a few months to reconnect and grieve after losing close friends and family to Covid.

"It's emotional," Cristina shares. "I lost an aunt, an uncle, and a cousin during this time. My aunt's death was expected, but my cousin - who died of cancer - was completely out of the blue. I went home briefly in 2019 and I’m so grateful I got to spend that time with him.”