Jennifer Hudson says 'Ellen' producer was on her set day before his death
Matthew Wright, 52, died in Los Angeles while working remotely; his family is raising funds in New York to bring his remains home.
By Hugo Cook ·
Jennifer Hudson announced on Monday that Matthew Wright, a former executive producer for the 'Ellen DeGeneres Show,' was on the set of her talk show just one day before he died.
Hudson, 45, posted an Instagram caption stating that Wright visited for the show's Halloween episode on Thursday. She described him as someone who helped launch her program and made a large impact on the industry.
Wright, 52, passed away in Los Angeles last Friday while working remotely. His family described the event as an unfathomable tragedy on a GoFundMe page, though a specific cause of death has not yet been released.
The family is currently in New York, where Wright's husband Justin, his father, sister, and niece reside. They are seeking financial assistance to transport Wright's body from California to New York for a proper goodbye. The crowdfunding page notes that both Wright and Justin were laid off over the summer, making the unexpected costs of the funeral and memorial difficult to manage.
Ellen DeGeneres, 68, donated $5,000 to the GoFundMe campaign. She posted a video tribute in which she said she was shocked by the news. DeGeneres noted that Wright worked on her show for 16 years and called him a smart and kind person who made her laugh.
In her tribute, DeGeneres said, 'He was smart, he was kind .. I mean, everyone loved him.' She added that Wright was an amazing guy who surprised her with his actions all the time.
Hudson concluded her social media post by saying her heart goes out to Wright's family and loved ones. The GoFundMe page invites friends of Wright to help the family during this time.
Source: New York Post
