Morgan Spurlock, the renowned director, passed away at the age of 53. He lost his battle with cancer in upstate New York on Thursday, May 23. Spurlock became an icon after captivating viewers with his 2004 documentary, “Super Size Me,” where he documented his 30-day journey of consuming only McDonald’s food. Although this fast food film remains his most well-known work, he embarked on numerous other projects, exploring a wide range of topics. Spurlock’s family confirmed his passing in an official statement.
Morgan’s brother, Craig Spurlock, shared the news of his passing in a heartfelt statement. In his statement to Variety, he expressed the profound sadness of saying goodbye to his brother. He acknowledged Morgan’s immense contributions through his art, ideas, and generosity. Craig described Morgan as a true creative genius and a remarkable individual. He expressed his pride in having had the opportunity to collaborate with him.
Morgan was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia in November 1970. In 1993, he moved to New York City to pursue his education at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Before directing “Super Size Me,” he had a background in playwriting and had also created the MTV show “I Bet You Will.”
In 2004, Morgan released his most well-known documentary, “Super Size Me”. The film chronicles his experience of consuming only three meals from McDonald’s every day for 30 days. The title of the film refers to the rule he followed, which required him to say yes whenever asked if he wanted to “super size” his meal. Throughout the experiment, he gained 25 pounds and experienced liver dysfunction and depression. The impact of the documentary led McDonald’s to discontinue the “super size” option and shift their focus towards healthier menu choices, although the company denied any direct influence from the film. In 2017, Morgan produced a sequel where he explored the fast food industry’s efforts to rebrand itself as healthier since the release of his original film.
Despite the documentary’s popularity, some individuals have raised concerns about its accuracy. Comedian Tom Naughton produced a response documentary called “Fat Head,” where he conducted a similar experiment and successfully lost weight while consuming only fast food. Additionally, science teacher John Cisna shed 60 pounds by exclusively eating McDonald’s for 30 days and has voiced his opposition to showcasing the documentary in high school health and science classes. In 2017, Morgan himself disclosed his struggle with alcohol abuse, which raised doubts about certain conclusions drawn in the film.
In addition to his acclaimed documentary “Super Size Me,” Morgan Spurlock has also released several other thought-provoking projects. One of these is the documentary “Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?” in which he delves into the fight against terrorism. Another notable work is “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,” where he examines the prevalence of product placement in films. Spurlock also created the TV series “30 Days,” where he and other participants engage in 30-day-long experiments, mirroring the format of his groundbreaking “Super Size Me” documentary. Furthermore, he starred in “Morgan Spurlock Inside Man” on CNN, where he explored a wide range of captivating subjects.
In December 2017, Morgan made a public statement acknowledging his involvement in sexual misconduct and confessed to facing allegations of sexual assault during his college years. As a result, he decided to step down from his company, Warrior Poets, and subsequently maintained a low profile until his passing.
Morgan went through two marriages, both of which ended in divorce. From these marriages, he has two sons, Laken James, aged 17, and Kallen Marcus, aged 8. In addition to his sons, Morgan is survived by his parents and brothers.
