Chris Affleck death: Ben and Casey Affleck’s mother dead at 83
Chris Anne Affleck, mother of actors Ben and Casey Affleck, died June 2 after a cancer diagnosis, according to her obituary.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Chris Affleck death news has brought a sad moment for Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck, whose mother died June 2 at age 83 after being diagnosed with cancer in December, according to her obituary.
TMZ reported that Chris Anne Affleck had been battling pancreatic cancer. Her obituary says she died after a cancer diagnosis late last year.
Chris was born in New York City in 1942 and went on to graduate from Harvard University, according to the obituary. She spent 35 years teaching in public schools and was described in the obituary as a lifelong civil rights advocate.
Who was Chris Affleck?
Chris Anne Affleck was the mother of actors Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck, and the former wife of Timothy Affleck. Her obituary identifies her as a Harvard graduate, public school teacher and civil rights advocate.
She married Timothy Affleck, and the couple had two sons: Ben in 1972 and Casey in 1975. Around 1975, the family moved to Massachusetts, according to TMZ.
Chris and Timothy later divorced when Ben was 12, TMZ reported.
Her role in her sons’ early lives extended into the start of Ben’s acting career. According to TMZ, Chris introduced Ben as a child to a former Harvard roommate who had become a casting director.
That connection helped Ben get auditions for commercials and made-for-TV movies, TMZ reported. It was an early push toward a career that would later include major acting, writing, directing and producing credits.
How was she connected to Ben Affleck’s Oscar moment?
One of Chris Affleck’s most public appearances came at the 1998 Academy Awards, when she attended as Ben’s date, according to TMZ.
Matt Damon also brought his mother, Nancy, as his date that night. Ben and Damon won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for “Good Will Hunting,” the film that turned the longtime friends into Hollywood headliners.
The mother-and-son Oscar appearance became one of the family details often tied to Ben’s breakout era. TMZ noted it as one of Chris’ most memorable public moments.
Ben and Casey Affleck have both remained major names in film since their early years in Massachusetts. Ben became widely known through “Good Will Hunting” and later projects as an actor and filmmaker, while Casey built his own acting career and won major acclaim in film.
Chris Affleck was 83.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.