Ben Affleck makes rare comment on his father and mother dying two months apart

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ben Affleck has opened up about his childhood and his relationship with his late mother after losing both of his parents earlier this year. The actor discussed the personal impact of the losses and the memories they brought back.

Affleck, 54, lost his father Timothy Byers Affleck in April, followed by the death of his mother Christine Anne Boldt in June. Speaking on Kerry Washington's podcast, 'Street You Grew Up On,' he shared how reading his mother's old letters gave him a different perspective on the woman he knew as his mother.

Ben Affleck reflects on losing his parents two months apart

Affleck discussed the losses on a new episode of Kerry Washington's podcast, ‘Street You Grew Up On’. 

He said, “My parents just died. Both of them. In April, and in June. 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.”

The ‘Good Will Hunting’ star further noted that after his mother’s death because of cardiopulmonary arrest, he’s “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,” he added.

Ben Affleck reads his mother's old letters

Affleck also revealed that he has started reading letters his mother wrote to his grandparents when she was young.

He told Washington, “This sounds like a crazy thing to say, but it was really weird for me to read these letters, first of all as this young woman, full of life and ambition and dreams and not sure, ‘Oh, maybe I’ll be a social worker, maybe I’ll be a teacher, there’s these protests.’”

“But of course, the thing that struck me was: This has nothing to do with me. This woman had her own whole life for 30 years that had zero to do with me,” the filmmaker added.

Ben Affleck praises his late mother's life

The father-of-three admitted that reading the letters made him think about his mother's life and the sacrifices she made for him and his brother.

“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. And it really struck me that she was gorgeous and smart and thoughtful and passionate, and I just thought, ‘This woman’s amazing. She can do anything.’ And there she was, my whole life,” Affleck explained.

The ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ actor also reflected on his parents’ divorce.

He added, “She should have happiness and love. [At] the time that we’re talking about, my dad was kind of in bad shape and sort of getting worse, he didn’t get a job, he drank too much, all that kind of stuff, angry, resentful.”

Affleck's comments came as he reflected on his childhood following the deaths of both his parents and his changing perspective on his mother's life.