Ben Affleck Reflects on Profound Grief Following Back-to-Back Deaths of Parents
The Oscar-winning filmmaker shared his emotional journey in a recent podcast appearance, discussing his reevaluation of childhood and appreciation for his mother's sacrifices.
Ben Affleck has spoken publicly about the profound impact of losing both his parents within a short period. The 54-year-old filmmaker's father, Timothy Affleck, passed away in April, followed by the death of his mother, Chris Affleck, in June.
In a recent appearance on the podcast "Streets We Grow Up On" with his "Smokin' Aces" co-star Kerry Washington, Affleck described how the dual losses have prompted him to reconsider his own childhood.
"It's sort of a big thing, and it's caused me to start thinking about my own childhood in ways that [have] been a little bit different," Affleck told Washington. "I've certainly learned to even more deeply appreciate my mom and really value and see what she did and what the sacrifice and commitment that she made and how complete it was."
His mother, Chris Anne Affleck, died on June 2 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. His brother, Casey Affleck, revealed in early September that their father had also died earlier in the year.
While promoting his movie "Company" at the Venice Film Festival, Casey Affleck stated that the film was dedicated to their parents. "They were very important to me," he said, adding that he wished he could have shown them the movie.
Ben Affleck shared that after his mother's death, he discovered letters she had written before he was born. "It was so interesting to me because all I knew was a person who just made me and my brother the absolute most important center of her life," he reflected.
He noted his mother's ability to balance working and being a present parent, as well as fostering a close relationship with her grandchildren. Timothy and Chris Affleck are also survived by five grandchildren: Indiana, Violet, Atticus, Fin, and Sam.
According to her obituary, Chris Affleck was diagnosed with six months to live in December and her final wish was to witness her grandson's high school graduation, which she attended in May, days before her death.
Timothy Affleck largely stayed out of the public eye but made an appearance in Casey Affleck's 2010 mockumentary "I'm Still Here." Chris Affleck was a Harvard graduate and a public school teacher for 35 years. Ben Affleck previously told The Hollywood Reporter that his mother taught fifth and sixth grade and was socially conscious, using her education while remaining skeptical of the elite circles it represented.
