Ben Affleck's Mother Chris Anne Dies at 83; Pancreatic Cancer Battle

Oscar winner Ben and Casey Affleck’s mother, Chris Anne Boldt, passed away on June 2 at the age of 83. The family announced her death on July 23 after she had been battling pancreatic cancer for six months, having received her diagnosis in December 2025.

Born in New York City in December 1942, Chris Anne earned a degree from Harvard University and went on to spend 35 years teaching fifth and sixth grade in public schools. She retired in 2008 and was known for her lifelong commitment to civil‑rights advocacy, including participation as one of the original Freedom Riders who ventured into the Deep South during the 1960s.

Chris Anne met her future husband, Timothy Affleck, and together they welcomed Ben in 1972 and Casey in 1975. The family later moved to Massachusetts, where Chris Anne continued her teaching career. She played a pivotal role in her sons’ acting careers, using her Harvard connections to introduce Ben to casting director Patty Collins and helping both boys audition for commercials and television movies. She was also Ben’s date to the 1998 Oscars, where he and Matt Damon won for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting, a film that also featured Casey.

Ben Affleck has spoken publicly about his mother’s influence, noting that she had a master’s degree from Harvard and that his father, an auto mechanic and bartender, did not attend college. Chris Anne’s support extended to her grandchildren, including Casey’s children Atticus and Indiana, and Ben’s children Violet, Fin, and Sam.

After her diagnosis, Chris Anne’s greatest wish was to see her grandson graduate from high school. She achieved this milestone when her grandson graduated on May 31, 2026, and she peacefully died in her sleep two days later, on June 2, 2026. The Affleck family said she passed away quietly and without pain.

While her net worth was never publicly disclosed, estimates based on a Massachusetts public school teacher’s earnings over a 35‑year career suggest she may have accumulated more than a million dollars during her lifetime.