Drew Barrymore Publicly Silent on Matthew Wright's Death as Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Hudson Pay Tribute

Drew Barrymore and The Drew Barrymore Show have yet to publicly acknowledge the death of former producer Matthew Wright, despite emotional tributes from Ellen DeGeneres and Jennifer Hudson.

Wright, 52, died in Los Angeles on Friday, 30 October 2026, in what his family described as an 'unfathomable tragedy'. His cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

As of 2 November, no tribute to Wright had appeared on Barrymore's personal social media accounts or the official accounts of The Drew Barrymore Show, according to a review by IBTimes UK.

The absence of a public statement stands in contrast to tributes from other television personalities who worked with Wright. However, it does not establish whether Barrymore or her colleagues have contacted his family privately.

Matthew Wright Worked on The Drew Barrymore Show Before His Death

According to his LinkedIn profile, Wright joined The Drew Barrymore Show as a senior supervising producer in August 2023, overseeing creative development, daily production and celebrity segments.

The nine-time Emmy Award-winning producer previously spent nearly 16 years on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, rising through several production roles, including executive producer. He also helped launch The Jennifer Hudson Show in 2022, working as a consulting producer during its first season.

A GoFundMe appeal established following his death revealed that Wright and his husband, Justin, had both been laid off during the summer. His LinkedIn profile continued to list his position at The Drew Barrymore Show, although the fundraiser did not identify which employers had laid them off.

Ellen DeGeneres Donates $5,000 and Shares Emotional Tribute

DeGeneres, 68, paid tribute to Wright in an Instagram video shared on Monday, 2 November, remembering his humour, kindness and creativity. 'He was an amazing guy,' she said. 'He was funny. God, he made me laugh.'

DeGeneres became visibly emotional while recalling their years working together and revealed they had been planning another project. 'I loved him. And it's just shocking,' she added.

A screenshot of Wright's GoFundMe donor list obtained by IBTimes UK shows a $5,000 (£3,800) contribution under DeGeneres' name.

The fundraiser had received $51,770 (£39,000) from 268 donations when checked, exceeding its original $50,000 target. The money will help cover funeral arrangements and transportation expenses.

Jennifer Hudson and Andy Lassner Mourn Matthew Wright

Jennifer Hudson also shared a Facebook tribute, remembering Wright as one of the producers who helped launch her daytime talk show. 'So saddened by the loss of Matt Wright,' Hudson wrote.

She recalled that Wright had visited the programme's set on Thursday, 29 October, during preparations for its Halloween episode. 'He made such a huge impact on so many people in this industry and beyond!' she added.

Former Ellen executive producer Andy Lassner also mourned Wright, describing him as a brilliant producer and an even better person. 'We are all in shock,' Lassner wrote in an Instagram tribute. Wright's family is arranging funeral and memorial services in New York and Los Angeles. He is survived by his husband, Justin, and other relatives.