You’ve probably seen the face. Maybe it was on a Netflix thumbnail, or perhaps she popped up on your Instagram feed posing against a sunset in Cape Town or a rooftop in Milan. But the question of who is Cristina Carmela (often searched as Cristina Carmella) usually brings up a lot more than just a "reality TV star" label.
Honestly, she’s a bit of an anomaly in the influencer world. Most people know her from Too Hot to Handle Season 2, but her life before and after the villa is what actually makes her interesting. She isn't just another girl who got famous for wearing a bikini on a beach; she’s a commercial pilot who has spent years in one of the most male-dominated cockpits in the world.
The Reality TV Bombshell: Too Hot to Handle
When Cristina walked into the Turks and Caicos villa midway through the second season of Too Hot to Handle, she basically set the place on fire. She was brought in as a "bombshell," a role designed to disrupt existing couples. And she did.
She immediately went after Cam Holmes, which put her at odds with fan-favorite Emily Miller. It was high drama for a few episodes. However, what most people forget is that Cristina didn't just play the villain. She ended up forming a genuine connection with Robert Van Tromp. They were actually one of the few couples that seemed to have a real spark that wasn't just for the cameras.
They dated for a while after the show ended, traveling between the UK and South Africa, but eventually, they called it quits. These days, she keeps her romantic life much more private. She’s been linked to others, but she mostly posts about her travels and her career now.
A Pilot in a High-Stakes World
This is the part that usually catches people off guard. Before she was a Netflix star, Cristina was flying planes for Susi Air in Indonesia. If you’ve ever seen the show Worst Place to be a Pilot, you know exactly what kind of flying that is. We’re talking about landing on tiny, unpaved strips in the middle of the jungle.
- Heritage: Half-Italian, half-Portuguese, born in South Africa.
- Languages: She’s trilingual—fluent in English, Italian, and Afrikaans.
- Career Pivot: She actually lost her flying job during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is what led her to say "yes" to the Netflix opportunity.
She’s been very vocal about how hard it is to be a woman in aviation. She once mentioned in an interview that she feels she has to work "double as hard for half the credit." It’s a sentiment that resonates with a lot of women in STEM and technical fields. Even after the fame of reality TV, she went back to get her European pilot's license, proving that the aviation thing wasn't just a "cool fact" for her bio—it's her actual profession.
The "Two Cristinas" Confusion
There is a weird bit of digital confusion you should know about. If you search for "Cristina Carmella," you might run into two different personas.
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There is the South African pilot and Too Hot to Handle star (Cristina Carmela—one 'l').
Then, there’s a younger American influencer often cited in AI-generated blogs as Cristina Carmella (two 'l's'), born in 1999, who focuses on gaming and TikTok fashion.
If you’re looking for the one who was on Netflix and flies commercial jets, you’re looking for the South African powerhouse born in 1991. The "two 'l's" version is a completely different person, though they often get mixed up in search results because of the name similarity.
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Living the Jet-Set Lifestyle (Literally)
Since the show, Cristina has basically turned into a high-end travel and lifestyle creator. But unlike most, her "jet-set" life is literal. She splits a lot of her time between Milan, London, and Cape Town.
Her Instagram is a mix of high-fashion modeling and "office views" from 30,000 feet. She’s managed to bridge the gap between being a "personality" and maintaining a professional career, which is a needle that's incredibly hard to thread.
She hasn't ditched the modeling world, though. She started doing pageants as a kid to help pay for her studies—she wasn't born into a wealthy family, so the hustle started early. That work ethic is probably why she survived the Indonesian bush-pilot circuit and the cutthroat world of reality TV.
What You Can Learn from Her Path
If you’re looking at Cristina’s career for inspiration, there are a few real-world takeaways. First, don't let one "label" define you. She’s a pilot, a model, a reality star, and a polyglot.
Second, she used a setback (losing her job in 2020) to pivot into a massive platform. She didn't just wait for the aviation industry to recover; she jumped into a new medium, built a following of over a million people, and then used that leverage to go back into aviation on her own terms.
Practical Steps to Follow Her Career or Style:
- Follow the Real Account: Make sure you're following
@christinacarmelaofficialon Instagram. There are dozens of fan and fake accounts using her name. - Aviation Interest: If you're a woman interested in flight, she often shares resources or encouragement for female pilots. Look through her "Pilot" story highlights for a realistic look at the training.
- Travel Inspiration: She frequently tags the specific boutique hotels and locations she visits in Cape Town and Italy, which are great for planning a non-touristy Mediterranean trip.
Cristina Carmela is proof that you don't have to choose between being "the smart one" and "the glamorous one." You can literally be the one flying the plane while looking like you just stepped off a runway.