BEN AND CASEY AFFLECK’S MOTHER CHRIS ANNE AFFLECK DIES AT 83 AFTER A LIFE IN TEACHING, ACTIVISM AND SUPPORTING HER SONS’ ACTING CAREERS. (PHOTO).

Ben and Casey Affleck’s mother Chris Anne Affleck dies at 83 after a life in teaching, activism and supporting her sons’ acting careers

Chris Anne Affleck, the mother of actors Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck, has died at the age of 83.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chris died on June 2 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December. Her obituary noted that doctors had given her an estimated six months to live following the diagnosis.

Born Christopher Anne Boldt in New York City in December 1942, Chris built a career outside Hollywood as a public school teacher, working in education for 35 years before retiring in 2008.

Beyond teaching, she was involved in civil rights activism throughout her life. According to her obituary, she was influenced by her stepfather, Sam, and participated in the 1964 Freedom Summer campaign in Mississippi, where she taught literacy classes.

Chris was married to Timothy Affleck, and the couple welcomed their sons, Ben and Casey, in 1972 and 1975. The pair later divorced when Ben was around 12 years old.

While her sons went on to establish careers in acting, Chris played an early role in helping Ben explore opportunities in the industry. She connected him with casting director Patty Collins, whom she had lived with while attending Harvard.

Ben later recalled that his introduction to acting came through that connection.

“I got into acting as a young child on account of a sort of arbitrary thing,” he told Parade in 2007. “A friend of my mom’s was a casting director.”

He explained that the early acting opportunities gave him the option to continue pursuing the career.

Casey Affleck also previously spoke about his mother’s role in supporting their ambitions, describing her as “really supportive” of their acting careers.