Tearful Ellen DeGeneres Pays Tribute to Producer Matthew Wright After His “Shocking” Death at 52

DeGeneres remembers Wright

DeGeneres shared her tribute in a video posted to Instagram on Nov. 2, days after Wright’s family confirmed his death in a GoFundMe. She said he had been an executive producer and appeared on the show often.

Holding back tears, DeGeneres recalled his humor and the ways he surprised her. “Everyone loved him,” she said, adding that she loved him and found his death shocking.

A loss for the show family

DeGeneres said she and Wright had been working together on a project when he died, and described their relationship as more than professional. She called him the glue of the show’s family and said he would be missed.

She offered condolences to Wright’s husband, Justin, and his family. DeGeneres also spoke about Wright’s close bond with Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the show’s co-executive producer and DJ, who died by suicide in 2022.

Colleagues share memories

Andy Lassner, another executive producer on Ellen, said he had seen Wright just hours before his death. Wright visited him on the set of The Jennifer Hudson Show’s Halloween episode; Lassner later wrote that the team was in shock.

Lassner praised Wright as a brilliant producer and a caring person. He also recalled Wright’s frequent trips between Los Angeles and New York to look after his mother before she died.

Wright spent 16 years working on Ellen. After the show ended in 2022, he wrote that he was grateful for the opportunity and the friendships and experiences he gained there.