Morgan Spurlock, the filmmaker-star of the 2004 documentary Super Size Me, has died at the age of 53. Spurlock’s family announced on Friday, May 24, that he died on Thursday, May 23. He passed away due to complications from cancer.
“It was a sad day as we said goodbye to our brother Morgan,” his brother Craig Spurlock reportedly said in a statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special person. I am so proud to have worked closely with him.”
Spurlock is survived by his two sons, Laken and Callen, mother Phyllis Spurlock, father Ben (Iris), brothers Craig (Carolyn) and Barry (Buffy), numerous nieces and nephews, and former wives Alexandra Jamieson and Sarah Bernstein, the mothers of his children.
Super Size Me received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature. In the documentary, he examines the fast food industry and challenges himself to eat only at McDonald’s for an entire month.
Spurlock’s other documentaries include Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden (2008), The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011), and the sequel Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!
When Morgan Spurlock settled a sexual assault allegation
During the #MeToo movement, Spurlock said in a 2017 essay that he was “part of the problem.” He confessed that he once had to deal with a sexual harassment allegation made by one of his assistants. In an interview in 2019, he said he had calmed down because he made amends for his behavior.
“I’ve tried to make right relationships with my family and reconcile with people over the years who I felt like I should have treated better. That’s a big part of the journey at the moment,” he told Deadline at the time.
“I wrote that essay so I could stay on the right side. I hope that over time, with the work that I do and the changes that I’m making, I’ll be able to stay on the right side,” he said.
