another devastating loss

Ben Affleck’s brother, Casey Affleck, confirms their father’s death months after mom’s loss


Chris Affleck died of pancreatic cancer


US actor Casey Affleck and his brother US actor and director Ben Affleck© AFP via Getty Images
Shirley GomezSenior Writer
SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 1:57 PM EDT

Casey Affleck has revealed another devastating loss for the Affleck family. The Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker confirmed that his and Ben Affleck’s father, Timothy “Tim” Byers Affleck, died earlier this year. The revelation comes just months after the family lost Ben and Casey’s mother, Christopher Anne “Chris” Affleck, who died on June 2, 2026, at age 83.

Casey, 51, shared the previously unannounced news while promoting his new film, Company, at the Venice International Film Festival on September 8. “It’s dedicated to my parents because I lost both my mom and my dad this year,” Casey told reporters, explaining the deeply personal meaning behind the film.

Casey, 51, shared the previously unannounced news while promoting his new film© FilmMagic
Casey, 51, shared the previously unannounced news while promoting his new film

Casey’s comments establish that his father died sometime in 2026, but it is not yet clear whether Timothy died before or after Chris.

Casey Affleck reveals why ‘Company’ honors his parents

Casey directed, co-wrote and stars in Company, making the Venice premiere more emotional than a typical film festival appearance.

Speaking about his parents, Casey said he had hoped they would be able to see the finished movie. “I really wanted to show this movie to them, and I didn’t get to,” he said. “I think they would have liked it.”

The film also has another significant Affleck family connection. Casey’s sons, Indiana, 22, and Atticus, 18, both appear in the movie. He shares the two with his former wife, Summer Phoenix. Ben, 54, was also in Venice supporting his younger brother and appeared at the film’s red-carpet premiere.

US actor Casey Affleck and his brother US actor and director Ben Affleck© AFP via Getty Images
US actor Casey Affleck and his brother US actor and director Ben Affleck

For Casey, making art has become one way of processing major changes in his personal life. During the Venice press conference, he discussed how difficult experiences inevitably find their way into an artist’s work.

“The good thing about being an artist” is being able to take difficult life experiences and put them into the work, Casey explained. He said that, for him, creating art is a way of making sense of what is happening in his own life.

What happened to Ben and Casey Affleck’s mother?

Chris Affleck died on June 2 at age 83. According to reporting about the family’s obituary, Chris received a terminal diagnosis in December 2025 and was given approximately six months to live. She had hoped to survive long enough to watch her grandson Atticus graduate from high school.

American actor Casey Affleck and the American actor and director Ben Affleck at the 83 Venice International Film Festival 2026© Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Im
American actor Casey Affleck and the American actor and director Ben Affleck at the 83 Venice International Film Festival 2026

Chris attended Atticus’ graduation with her family on May 31 and died two days later. Her death certificate listed cardiopulmonary arrest as the cause of death, with pancreatic adenocarcinoma among the contributing conditions.

The Affleck family publicly announced her death in July.

Chris was a Harvard-educated educator who spent decades teaching. She and Timothy divorced when Ben and Casey were young, and the brothers were primarily raised in the Boston area.

Who was Ben Affleck’s father Timothy Affleck?

Timothy Byers Affleck had his own history in the arts long before his sons became Academy Award-winning Hollywood stars.

He was an aspiring playwright and had performed with the Theater Company of Boston. Over the years, he also worked a range of other jobs, including as an auto mechanic, before eventually working as a counselor at an alcohol rehabilitation center.

Timothy also struggled with alcoholism, something Ben Affleck has discussed publicly when talking about addiction and recovery within his family.

70th Annual Academy Awards Pre-Party 1998© Ron Galella
Actor Ben Affleck and mother Chris Boldt

By 2020, Ben said his father had maintained his sobriety for approximately 30 years. Ben described Timothy’s recovery as a defining part of his father’s legacy and an example of how dramatically a person could change the direction of his life.

Ben has also spoken about how adulthood changed his perspective on his parents and their imperfections. “Part of being an adult is learning that your parents are just people,” Ben told People in 2020. He went on to discuss accepting that parents have their own histories and struggles while trying to stop painful patterns from continuing into another generation.

The deaths make 2026 an extraordinarily difficult year for the Affleck brothers.