Chris Anne Affleck Dies at 83, Activist and Mother

Chris Anne Affleck, born Christine Anne Boldt in New York City in 1942, died in her sleep on June 2, 2026, at age 83 after a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in December. A Harvard-educated public school teacher for 35 years, she was a lifelong civil rights activist and one of the original Freedom Riders. She helped launch her sons' careers by connecting Ben with her Harvard roommate, Patty Collins, and attended the 1998 Oscars with Ben and Matt Damon when Good Will Hunting dominated the night. She and ex-husband Timothy Affleck raised Ben and Casey after moving to Massachusetts. She volunteered for Barack Obama's campaigns and supported education and social justice causes. She is survived by Ben, Casey, and five grandchildren—Indiana, Atticus, Violet, Fin, and Sam—and her dying wish to see Atticus graduate from high school was fulfilled days before her death.