Chris Anne Affleck, the mother of actors Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck and a longtime public school teacher, has died after a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to an obituary released by her family.
She died peacefully in her sleep on June 2 at the age of 83, two days after attending her grandson Atticus’ high school graduation, which family members said was her final wish after doctors informed her in December that she had approximately six months to live.
Chris Anne is survived by her sons, Ben, 53, and Casey, 50, along with five grandchildren: Indiana, Violet, Atticus, Fin and Sam. The obituary described her grandchildren as “the animating force of her last two decades.”
Born in New York City in December 1942, Chris Anne graduated from Harvard University before dedicating 35 years to teaching in public schools. She retired in 2008 after a career focused primarily on fifth- and sixth-grade education.
Ben Affleck reflected on his mother’s career during a 2012 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“My mother taught public school, went to Harvard and then got her master’s there and taught fifth and sixth grade in a public school,” he said.
According to the obituary, Chris Anne remained active in social causes throughout her life. As a student, she opposed racial segregation and later traveled to Mississippi during Freedom Summer to teach literacy classes. She also participated in protests against the Vietnam War and remained involved in civic and environmental organizations following her retirement.
The obituary said she carried those values into her classroom, treating students from diverse backgrounds equally and encouraging critical thinking.
Chris Anne and her former husband, Timothy Affleck, welcomed Ben in 1972 and Casey in 1975 before moving to Massachusetts. The couple divorced when Ben was 12 years old.
Casey Affleck credited his mother with maintaining family traditions despite the challenges following the divorce.
“She always made us go on family vacations,” Casey said in a 2006 interview with Boston Magazine. “Tradition meant a lot to her.”
Chris Anne also played a role in launching Ben Affleck’s acting career by introducing him to casting director Patty Collins, a former Harvard roommate. The connection helped Ben secure early auditions for television productions and commercials, per Trending Politics.
“I got into acting as a young child on account of a sort of arbitrary thing,” Ben said in a 2007 interview with Parade. “A friend of my mom’s was a casting director.”
She later accompanied Ben to the 1998 Academy Awards, where he and Matt Damon won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting. Ben recalled attending the ceremony alongside their mothers during a 2023 interview with Vanity Fair.
Following her retirement, Chris Anne remained active in community organizations and political causes, including campaigning for former President Barack Obama, supporting the Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine and serving on the board of Sustainable Cape in Massachusetts, according to her obituary.
