Ellen DeGeneres producer Matt Wright died peacefully in his sleep

Matt Wright, the longtime executive producer of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, died unexpectedly in his sleep while visiting Los Angeles last week.

His family has now revealed that he passed "peacefully in his sleep" at the age of 52.

The revelation came through a statement shared on a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for funeral expenses and to transport his body back to New York.

Wright worked alongside Ellen DeGeneres for 16 years, from 2006 until the daytime talk show ended in 2022.

He was a familiar face to viewers, often appearing in comedy segments with DeGeneres.

The statement from his family described his death as "sudden."

They explained that the costs of moving his body across the country and arranging a funeral were "unexpected costs" that were "impossible for the family to bear."

The GoFundMe page read: "If Matt has ever made you laugh, said an encouraging word right when you needed it, or ordered one too many appetizers for the enjoyment of the whole table, now is the time to repay the favour."

His family said any additional donations beyond the funeral costs would go to support Wright's niece, Samantha, whom they called his "pride and joy."

By Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the campaign had raised more than $94,000.

Among the donors was Ellen DeGeneres herself, who contributed $5,000.

The former talk show host also paid tribute to Wright in an emotional Instagram video on Monday, November 2, 2026.

In the video, DeGeneres recalled his humor and the important role he played behind the scenes of her long-running program.

She said: "God, he was an amazing guy."

She added: "He made me laugh, he would surprise me with things he did all the time. He was smart, he was kind… I mean, everyone loved him. I loved him. And it's just shocking, it's shocking."

DeGeneres also revealed that she and Wright had been preparing to collaborate on another project before his death.

She did not disclose details of the planned production.

Wright joined The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2006 and remained with the production until its final season in 2022.

During that time, he rose through the ranks to become an executive producer — a testament to his work ethic, according to sources who spoke to Page Six.

"He'd be at the office most nights until 11 p.m.," a source previously shared.

"Everyone who loved him is shocked and devastated over his death."

The nine-time Emmy-winning producer also worked on other major daytime shows, including The View, The Drew Barrymore Show, and The Jennifer Hudson Show.

Wright visited Hudson on set just hours before his death.

Hudson later revealed that she had seen him one day before he passed away.

An official cause of death has not been released.

However, Page Six has learned that those close to Wright knew he suffered from "heart problems" prior to his passing.

This detail has not been publicly confirmed by his family or by any medical authority.

The GoFundMe campaign was set up because Wright and his husband, Justin Fusella, were both laid off from their jobs earlier in the summer of 2026, according to the fundraising page.

The goal was initially set at $50,000, but the campaign has since nearly doubled that amount.

DeGeneres' $5,000 donation quickly drew criticism on social media.

One user posted on Twitter: "5k from an almost billionaire…….how generous……."

Another wrote: "Wow, 0.001% of her net worth! How generous!"

According to a source on set, Wright's loved ones wished his former boss had contributed a greater amount.

"People who knew him do wish Ellen was doing more," the source told Page Six.

The family has not publicly commented on the criticism of DeGeneres' donation.