Morgan Spurlock, the documentary filmmaker renowned for chronicling his own psychological and physical effects from eating McDonald’s every day for a month in the Oscar-nominated 2004 feature "Super Size Me," passed away on Thursday in upstate New York due to complications from cancer. He was 53.
Spurlock’s family confirmed his passing.
“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.”
Spurlock gained prominence with "Super Size Me," where he conducted an experiment by eating only McDonald's food for 30 days. The rules stipulated that he could not refuse the "super-size" option if offered and that he would reduce his physical activity to match that of the average American. By the end of the experiment, Spurlock reported gaining 25 pounds and experiencing depression and liver dysfunction.
"Super Size Me" captured the zeitgeist upon its 2004 release, grossing $22 million globally and igniting a conversation about how the fast food industry promotes poor nutrition. Following the documentary's release, McDonald’s discontinued its “super-size” option. While the film remains a popular educational tool in school health classes, it has faced criticism over its accuracy, partly due to Spurlock's refusal to publicly share his diet log from the experiment.
Born on November 7, 1970, in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Spurlock was raised in the Methodist faith but identified as agnostic later in life. He earned a BFA in film from New York University in 1993.
In the 13 years after "Super Size Me," Spurlock achieved further success with his production company Warrior Poets, producing and directing nearly 70 documentary films and television series. His wide-ranging work often tackled controversial and topical subjects, including the U.S. war in Afghanistan ("Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden"), minimum wage and immigrant labor ("30 Days"), consumer susceptibility to marketing ("The Greatest Movie Ever Sold"), trophy hunting and body modification ("7 Deadly Sins"), elder care and gambling ("Morgan Spurlock Inside Man"), and corporate pressure on family farms ("Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!").
In December 2017, amid the rising momentum of the #MeToo movement, Spurlock posted a lengthy social media confession, acknowledging that he was “part of the problem.” In his post, he admitted to serial infidelities and revealed that he had settled a sexual harassment claim made by a former assistant. He also disclosed that he had been accused of rape during his college years. This admission effectively ended his documentary career, leading him to step down from Warrior Poets shortly afterward.
Spurlock is survived by his two children, Laken and Kallen; his mother, Phyllis Spurlock; his father, Ben (Iris); his brothers, Craig (Carolyn) and Barry (Buffy); multiple nieces and nephews; and his former spouses, Alexandra Jamieson and Sara Bernstein.
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