Morgan Spurlock, director of the documentary Super Size Me, has died at the age of 53

CNN
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Morgan Spurlock, the director and former host of the CNN series whose McDonald’s documentary “Super Size Me” was nominated for an Oscar, died of complications from cancer on Thursday, according to his family.

Spurlock, who was 53 years old, died in New York surrounded by his family and friends, Spurlock’s brother said in a statement.

“It was a sad day as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” Craig Spurlock said. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to work with him.”

Spurlock’s directorial career has been varied and unpredictable. He was best known for the song “Super Size Me,” which sparked a national conversation — and no shortage of controversy — about America’s relationship with fast food. The film included his experience consuming only food from McDonald’s for 30 days and asking him to “upsize” his food order if asked to do so in a sales transaction.

But he also made a mockumentary about the search for Osama bin Laden, directed a One Direction concert film, and even directed a film about Homer Simpson and baseball.
For several years, Spurlock served as host of the popular CNN Original series, “Morgan Spurlock Inside Man.”

Born in Parkersburg, West Virginia, the future director grew up in Beckley, where he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School. gold To graduate from New York University in 1993.

Spurlock was the founder of the New York-based production studio Warrior Poets, and his first film, Super Size Me, premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Best Director award.

The film won the inaugural award for Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America, and also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature.

In this documentary, Spurlock’s willingness to use himself to experience the effects of eating fast food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner wowed audiences. He gained 25 pounds and documented its negative effects on his body.

His movie “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken” was released in 2019.

Buoyed by the success of his first project, Spurlock delved into other documentaries, including Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? and 2011’s “Bum’s Great Gifts: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.” He also created the reality TV series “30 Days” in 2005 and helped Hulu dive into original programming with the platform’s first series, “A Day in the Life.”

In 2017, as the #MeToo movement accelerated, Spurlock He admitted to sexual misconduct in his past in a statement posted on social media.

“I have come to realize, months after these revelations, that I am not just an innocent bystander, I am also part of the problem,” he wrote at the time, referring to the recent spate of sexual misconduct allegations against prominent men.

He resigned as CEO of his production company.

Spurlock was also a prolific writer and producer. Some of his other works include “The Mice”, “The Seven Deadly Sins” and “No Man’s Land”.

Correction: A previous headline of this story misstated Spurlock’s history of the Oscars. “Super Size Me” was nominated for an award but did not win.