Ellen DeGeneres has faced criticism after donating $5,000 to the family of her former executive producer, Matt Wright, who died suddenly in late October. Loved ones and former colleagues of Wright have expressed that they wish DeGeneres, who has an estimated net worth of $500 million, would provide more substantial financial assistance.

A source who previously worked on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" told Page Six that those who knew Wright are "shocked and devastated" by his death and "wish Ellen was doing more." The insider described Wright as a "hard worker" who spent 16 years with the talk show, often staying late at the office.

Wright, who was 52, died peacefully in his sleep on October 30th in Los Angeles. The cause of death has not yet been publicly disclosed. He had worked his way up to executive producer during his tenure with DeGeneres.

Social media users have also voiced their disappointment with DeGeneres' donation, with some pointing out that $5,000 represents a small fraction of her net worth. One user on X commented, "Big spender. She was crying her eyes out so much why didn’t she just pay the entire 50k." Another wrote, "Wow, 0.001% of her net worth! How generous!"

A GoFundMe campaign was established for Wright's family, noting that Wright and his husband were both laid off over the summer. The campaign set a goal of $50,000 to cover the costs of transporting Wright's body back to his home state of New York for burial, as well as for a memorial service. The page stated, "The unexpected costs of getting Matt home, a funeral and a memorial are impossible for the family to bear."

As of the article's publication, the GoFundMe had raised over $94,000, surpassing its initial goal. DeGeneres, who posted a tearful video tribute to Wright on social media, stated, "He was an amazing guy. He was funny. God, he made me laugh... He was smart and he was kind. He was a part of our show. I mean, everyone loved him. I loved him, and it’s just shocking. We’re gonna miss him."

Allison Holker, the widow of former "Ellen" DJ Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, who died by suicide in 2022, donated $500 to Wright's GoFundMe. Wright had reportedly been close to tWitch, and his death was a difficult loss for him.

Wright also had production credits on other shows, including "The View," "The Jennifer Hudson Show," and "The Drew Barrymore Show."