Ben Affleck has revealed that his late mother, Chris Affleck, dedicated her life to advocating for the Palestinian people, describing it as “the central cause of her life” in a heartfelt message shared after her death.
The Oscar-winning actor shared the message privately with acclaimed Palestinian writer and poet Mosab Abu Toha, who later posted Affleck's response on Instagram after reaching out to offer his condolences.
Chris Affleck died in early June at the age of 83, although news of her passing only became public in recent days. Her obituary does not state the cause of her death.
Responding to Abu Toha's message, Affleck wrote: “It's a great pleasure to hear from you. You meant a great deal to mom. I very much appreciate the kind words and want to reaffirm that the central cause of her life – and the most meaningful cause of distress to her – was the suffering and injustice caused to the Palestinian people.
“I know it would have meant a great deal to her that you reached out, and I also know she would have wished no further heartbreak on you, and wished you only love and support. Thank you for writing. It means a great deal to me.”
Chris was a Harvard-educated elementary schoolteacher who spent nearly four decades in public education before retiring in 2008. Beyond raising sons Ben and Casey Affleck, she devoted much of her life to social justice, taking part in the Freedom Summer literacy campaign during the US civil rights movement, protesting the Vietnam War, campaigning for Barack Obama and working with the Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine after a visit to the country in 2009.
Abu Toha, who won the Pulitzer Prize last year for his essays on life in Gaza published in The New Yorker, described Chris Affleck as “my dear, dear friend”.
In a heartwarming tribute shared on Instagram, he said she had become like family while he, his wife Maram and their children were living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2019 and 2020.
“Chris was far more than a friend,” he wrote. “She was like a mother to me and Maram, and a grandmother to our children.”
He recalled how she took their children to the museum, helped Maram as she was learning English, and regularly brought the family meals after the birth of their son in 2020, ensuring they never felt alone while living far from home.
Abu Toha also highlighted her long-standing support for Palestinians, writing that while many knew Chris as the mother of Ben and Casey Affleck, few realised she was “one of the most steadfast advocates for Palestine”. He remembered her arriving during the Covid-19 pandemic with a Free Gaza poster displayed on her car, and said she remained a constant presence at his readings whenever he returned to Cambridge or Boston.
Abu Toha also shared a message Chris sent him on October 13, 2023, just days after Israel's attack on Gaza began. In it, she expressed concern for his family's safety, and said she and her friends were lobbying US politicians to push for a ceasefire.
“My friends and I are trying to speak up for Gaza and to write our people in Congress … to advocate for a ceasefire,” she wrote. “We want to help. We care about you. And I care, not only about all of Gaza, but also specifically about you, Maram, Yassan, Yaffa and the baby.”
The pair last met after one of Abu Toha's readings at Harvard in February 2025. Recalling a gift of a necklace and ring embroidered by his sister-in-law in Gaza, Abu Toha said Chris immediately put them on.
“We will miss you dearly, Chris,” he wrote. “Thank you for your kindness, your generosity and your unwavering solidarity.”
