Ulster County native and Ellen producer Matthew Wright dies in Los Angeles

Matthew Wright, a longtime executive producer for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, died on Friday, Oct. 30, while working remotely in Los Angeles.

Wright, 52, was a native of Ulster County, New York. He served on the production team for the daytime talk show for 16 years before the program ended in 2022. His family members are currently in New York, struggling to arrange his return home for a funeral. A GoFundMe page established by the family’s representatives stated that both Wright and his husband, Justin, had been laid off during the summer. This left the family facing the costs of transporting Wright back to New York, arranging a funeral, and holding a memorial service in Los Angeles. The organizers noted that his husband, father, sister, and niece are in New York and want to be reunited for a proper goodbye. As of Monday, Nov. 2, the fundraiser had collected $30,531 toward a goal of $50,000. Any money remaining after funeral and memorial expenses will be placed in a trust for Wright's niece, Sami.

Ellen DeGeneres shared an emotional tribute to Wright on Instagram on Monday, Nov. 2. She remembered his humor and kindness, noting that he played an important role behind the scenes. "He was an amazing guy. He was funny, God he made me laugh," DeGeneres said. She added, "He was smart, he was kind, he was a part of our show…I mean everyone loved him." DeGeneres revealed that she and Wright had been preparing to work together again on a new project. "We were working on a project that we were going to do together that we were supposed to start," she said. She described him as the glue to the show's family. "We’re gonna miss him, he is and always will be the glue to our entire family at the Ellen show," DeGeneres continued. She concluded, "We lost a good guy."

Andy Lassner, another executive producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, said he saw Wright just hours before his death. Wright had visited Lassner on the set of The Jennifer Hudson Show's Halloween episode. Lassner wrote in an Instagram tribute on Sunday, Nov. 1: "A few hours later, he was gone. We are all in shock. He was a brilliant producer and an even better human being."

Wright previously reflected on his time at the show when it ended in 2022. In an Instagram post written the same day the final episode aired, he discussed the friendships and relationships formed during his tenure. "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.

A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. The GoFundMe organizers described his death as an unfathomable tragedy.