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Chris Anne Affleck, the mother of Oscar-winning actors Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck, has died at the age of 83 after battling pancreatic cancer. Her family announced her death in an obituary published in “The Boston Globe”, saying she died peacefully on June 2.
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Chris Anne spent 35 years as a public-school teacher and was a longtime civil rights activist. A Harvard graduate, she dedicated her life to education and was known for encouraging and supporting her sons throughout their careers.
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Before her death, Chris Anne’s biggest wish was to see her grandson, Atticus, graduate from high school. She attended the ceremony with her family on May 31 before passing away peacefully two days later.
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Chris Anne is survived by her sons, Ben and Casey Affleck, and her five grandchildren. Both actors have often spoken about the important role their mother played in their lives and careers.
July 24, (THEWILL) — Chris Anne Affleck, the mother of Oscar-winning actors Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck, has died at the age of 83 after battling pancreatic cancer.
Her family announced her death in an obituary published in “The Boston Globe”.
According to the obituary, Chris Anne died peacefully in her sleep on June 2 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2025.
Born Christopher Anne Boldt in New York City in 1942, Chris Anne graduated from Harvard University and spent 35 years as a public-school educator before retiring in 2008. Beyond the classroom, she was a dedicated civil rights activist who taught literacy classes in Mississippi and protested against the Vietnam War.
Chris Anne and her former husband, Timothy Affleck, welcomed Ben in 1972 and Casey in 1975. The family later moved to Massachusetts, where she continued teaching while raising her two sons.
Ben has often spoken about his mother’s influence on his life. In a 2012 interview with “The Hollywood Reporter”, he praised her dedication to education and said she earned both her degree and master’s degree from Harvard before teaching fifth and sixth grade in public schools.
She also encouraged Ben and Casey to pursue acting from a young age, helping them get auditions for commercials and television roles through a former Harvard classmate who worked as a casting director.
Chris Anne attended the 1998 Academy Awards with Ben when he and Matt Damon won the Oscar for the movie “Good Will Hunting.” Years later, Ben described sharing that moment with his mother as one of his happiest memories.
According to her family’s obituary, Chris Anne’s final wish after her cancer diagnosis was to see her grandson, Atticus, graduate from high school. She attended the ceremony on May 31 with her family before passing away peacefully two days later.
Chris Anne is survived by her sons, Ben and Casey Affleck, and her five grandchildren: Indiana, Atticus, Violet, Fin and Sam. She is remembered for her lifelong commitment to education, equality and her family’s success.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
