Ben Affleck celebrated his 54th birthday on Saturday during a daytime trip to Santa Monica alongside his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and their children.
The Oscar-winning actor and director was seen visiting the upscale market Farmshop accompanied by his 17-year-old child Fin and 14-year-old son Samuel. Affleck shares both children with Garner, though their eldest child, 20-year-old college student Violet, was not present during the outing.
Strolling through a crowded parking lot with Fin and Samuel, Affleck flashed cheerful smiles alongside his two youngest children. The Good Will Hunting star dressed in a white-striped shirt, dark navy trousers, comfortable shoes, and a pair of sunglasses.
Although Affleck and Garner were not photographed side by side, the 13 Going On 30 actress was spotted at the same location on Saturday. Garner wore dark green leggings, a black top, slip-on shoes, and a blue cap over a low updo while walking with a friend in workout attire.
Reps for Affleck did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Mail.
The birthday celebration comes as Affleck continues to grieve his mother, Chris Anne, who passed away two months ago on June 2 at the age of 83 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Last year, the Hollywood star also marked his birthday in Santa Monica by taking Fin and Samuel out for lunch at Huckleberry Cafe.
Mother's Death and Final Wish
The passing of Affleck's mother was made public last month in July through a Legacy obituary.
Doctors diagnosed Chris Anne with pancreatic adenocarcinoma in December of last year and told her that she had six months to live. Her final wish was to attend the high school graduation of her grandson.
She fulfilled that wish by attending the graduation ceremony on May 31, passing away peacefully in her sleep just two days later on June 2.
Chris Anne was a grandmother to five grandchildren: Indiana, 22, Violet, 20, Atticus, 18, Fin, 17, and Sam, 14. Her family described her grandchildren as the animating force of her last two decades.
She also attended Affleck's 2022 wedding ceremony to Jennifer Lopez. Despite suffering a leg injury the day before that required a medical visit, she recovered in time to witness the couple exchange vows.
According to a death certificate obtained by Us Weekly, Chris Anne died from cardiopulmonary arrest at 10:52 a.m. while visiting her son's residence in Los Angeles. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma was listed as a secondary cause of death, and no autopsy was performed. Her body was subsequently transferred to Earth Funeral in Las Vegas.
Family Support and Grieving Process
A source close to the family revealed that Ben Affleck and his younger brother, actor Casey Affleck, have been hit extremely hard by their mother's death.
Casey Affleck, who shares sons Indiana and Atticus with ex-wife Summer Phoenix, has joined his brother in leaning on family during the bereavement.
An insider told People magazine that the family is supporting one another through their grief.
"Losing your mom is an unimaginable loss at any age, and they're grieving deeply," the source told People. "But they're surrounded by an incredible support system, and their kids have been a real source of comfort and strength during this heartbreaking time. The family is leaning on one another, and they’ll get through it together."
Activism and Career Guidance
Chris Anne worked as a public school teacher for decades, officially retiring in 2008 while remaining deeply committed to social causes.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2012, Affleck reflected on his mother's career and education.
"My mother taught public school, went to Harvard and then got her master’s there and taught fifth and sixth grade in a public school," Affleck said.
Her obituary noted that she was an ardent civil rights advocate who traveled to the American South during the 1960s. She taught literacy classes in Mississippi during Freedom Summer, participated in anti-war demonstrations against the Vietnam War, and embraced 1960s counterculture.
Chris Anne played a pivotal role in starting her son's acting career by connecting him with casting director Patty Collins, who had been her roommate at Harvard University. Collins helped young Ben Affleck secure auditions for television films and commercials.
She remained a constant presence throughout his Hollywood career, attending the 1998 Academy Awards where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting.
Recalling the Oscar night during an April 2023 interview with Vanity Fair, Affleck spoke about bringing his mother to the ceremony.
"We were sitting next to our moms and we won, and we kind of hugged our moms. I remember how everyone had made such a big thing out of it as if this was such a novelty," Affleck told Vanity Fair. "I remember thinking, being insecure, like, 'Why? Why is it weird that we're bringing our moms?' Who else do you think we would bring?"
Close Bond with Jennifer Garner
Chris Anne maintained a close relationship with Jennifer Garner long after Garner and Ben Affleck separated.
The two remained tightknit over the years and were frequently spotted together on public outings in Los Angeles. Page Six reported that Chris Anne attended Thanksgiving celebrations at Garner's home in Los Angeles last year.
Following her terminal diagnosis late last year, Chris Anne reached out to her friend Josh Laub to record oral histories documenting his time serving as a school principal in the South Bronx, according to her obituary.
