A documentary filmmaker who changed how Americans view fast food has died.
Morgan Spurlock died on Thursday of complications from cancer, his family confirmed to Variety.
Spurlock is most known for creating the documentary “Super Size Me,” in which he consumed nothing but McDonald’s food for a full month.
The negative health effects suffered by Spurlock from the experiment have been credited for raising awareness about the negative effects of fast food.
JUST IN: ‘Super Size Me’ filmmaker Morgan Spurlock has died at the age of 53 from complications of cancer.
Spurlock released a documentary in 2004 where he ate McDonalds every day for 30 days.
At the end of the experiment, Spurlock’s cholesterol shot up 65 points and he gained… pic.twitter.com/Rv8ZqypMDV
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 24, 2024
Craig Spurlock, the brother of the deceased, mourned him in a statement provided to Variety.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” Craig wrote.
He added: “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity.”
Have you ever seen “Super Size Me”?
“Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man,” Craig said. “I am so proud to have worked together with him.”
The filmmaker had begun chemotherapy treatment earlier this year, according to Deadline.
Admirers of Spurlock mourned his death at a premature age.
Morgan Spurlock dead at 53 – that’s no age to go.
A great gonzo filmmaker. pic.twitter.com/Q3ivZ2H9aI
— Neil A. Evans (@NeilEvansRocks) May 24, 2024
McDonald’s discontinued its “Super Size” menu option after Spurlock released his 2004 documentary — a change many credit to the film’s impact.
Spurlock’s other film credits include “Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?” and “The Future of Food.”
Morgan Spurlock, a documentary filmmaker who made the Oscar-nominated 2004 feature “Super Size Me,” died Thursday in upstate New York due to complications of cancer. He was 53. https://t.co/qTAHqBO7sO pic.twitter.com/bbTcTV3PDM
— Variety (@Variety) May 24, 2024
The documentary filmmaker withdrew from public perception in the midst of the #MeToo movement in 2017, citing his own personal indiscretions, according to The New York Times.
Some skeptics of Spurlock’s signature project have questioned his food intake during the film’s production, as well as his own history of alcohol use contributing to his health decline post-documentary.
Spurlock is survived by his two children.
