Morgan Spurlock, the filmmaker who chronicled his McDonald’s-only diet in the Oscar-nominated documentary “Super Size Me,” has died from cancer complications. He was 53.
The documentarian was surrounded by loved ones when he died Thursday in upstate New York, his family confirmed.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” said Craig Spurlock, who collaborated with his brother on several projects. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
Born Nov. 7, 1970, Spurlock was raised in West Virginia by his parents, Ben and Phyllis Spurlock. He attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he earned his BFA in film in 1993. His first major film project, “Super Size Me,” skyrocketed him to fame upon its release in 2004. In it, Spurlock conducted an experiment during which he ate McDonald’s food exclusively for 30 days straight. He also included a stipulation requiring that he accept the offer to “super size” his order if prompted by the fast food cashier.
As part of the initiative, Spurlock exercised significantly less than he normally would to better align with the average American’s physical activity levels.
“Everything’s bigger in America,” he says in the film. “We’ve got the biggest cars, the biggest houses, the biggest companies, the biggest food, and finally: the biggest people.”
By the month’s end, Spurlock had gained 25 pounds, which took him more than a year to lose. He said he also suffered from depression, a decreased sex drive and liver disfunction as a result of his drastic diet.
The documentary, with its harsh spotlight cast on Americans’ obsession with fast food and its obesity epidemic, grossed $22 million globally on a $65,000 budget. The conversation sparked by its release prompted McDonald’s to discontinue its “super-size” option. The film also earned Spurlock an Oscar nomination in the “Best Documentary” category.
Spurlock went on to enjoy a successful directing career, covering a wide range of sociopolitical issues. His works include “Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?” which documents the Bush-era War on Terror; “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,” a look at corporate power; and “Mansome,” an examination of the masculine identity.
He also directed the 3D concert film “One Direction: This Is Us,” which was released in 2023.
In December 2017, as the #MeToo movement continued to explode online, Spurlock confessed to being “part of the problem” in a lengthy missive shared to social media. He admitted to serial infidelities, confessed to settling an allegation of sexual harassment from a former assistant and said he had been accused of rape in college. The same year, “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!,” was slated to be distributed by YouTube Red, but it was shelved following Spurlock’s admission of sexual misconduct.
The documentary was later released in 2019 by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Spurlock’s confession also forced him to step down as head of his production company, Warrior Poets, through which he produced and directed nearly 70 documentary films and television series.
Prior to his foray into filmmaking, Spurlock was a playwright. winning awards for his play “The Phoenix” at both the New York International Fringe Festival in 1999 and the Route 66 American Playwriting Competition in 2000.
He is survived by two sons — Laken and Kallen; his mother Phyllis Spurlock; father Ben; brothers Craig and Barry; and former spouses Alexandra Jamieson and Sara Bernstein, the mothers of his children.
With News Wire Services
