Ellen DeGeneres Show executive producer Matthew Wright dies at 52 in unfathomable tragedy
The producer worked on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ for 16 years
NEED TO KNOW
- Matthew Wright, who worked as an executive producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for 16 years, has died at 52
- Wright’s death on Friday, Oct. 30, was described as an “unfathomable tragedy” in a GoFundMe page created to help his family
- Andy Lassner, who worked with Wright on Ellen, shared a tribute to him and said he saw him just “hours” before he died
Matthew Wright, one of the executive producers behind The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has died at age 52.
Wright died suddenly in an “unfathomable tragedy” on Friday, Oct. 30, according to a GoFundMe page created to help his family.
“His husband, father, sister and niece are in New York, desperate to be reunited for a proper goodbye. We’re asking for all of his friends, who Matt loved so fully, to help the family at this time,” reads the fundraiser description.
“As many of you know, Matt & Justin were both laid off this summer. And the unexpected costs of getting Matt home, a funeral and a memorial are impossible for the family to bear.”
Andy Lassner, who worked with Wright on Ellen, shared a tribute to him on Instagram Sunday, Nov. 1, revealing he saw him “hours” before he died.
Wright had come to visit Lassner on the set of The Jennifer Hudson Show’s Halloween episode and “a few hours later, he was gone,” Lassner, 59, wrote. “We are all in shock. He was a brilliant producer and an even better human being. The way he looked after his mom, flying back and forth from Los Angeles to New York practically every weekend before she died, showed what an incredible son he was.”
“My heart breaks for his husband, Justin, his family, and all of us who loved him,” Lassner continued. “I was so lucky to work beside Matt for so many years and to call him my friend. We should have had so much more time with him.”
Wright worked on Ellen for 16 years. When the talk show ended in 2022, he shared a tribute to his time there. “How do I even begin to sum up 16 years of my life? I’ve made so many best friends, had so many amazing experiences, met so many heroes of mine and even fell in love thanks to this show,” he wrote. “I will forever be grateful to @theellenshow for taking a chance on me and changing my life! Here’s to an amazing run!”Former co-host of The Real, Loni Love paid tribute to Wright on Facebook, writing, “I’m devastated and heartbroken to hear about Matt’s passing. He was such a talented, sweet man and always game for anything. I cannot believe he’s gone. What a pleasure it was to have known him. Sending love and heartfelt condolences to his husband, family, and all who loved him.”
