Morgan Spurlock, Documentarian Behind ‘Super Size Me,’ Dead At 53

Documentarian Morgan Spurlock, best known for directing the Academy Award-nominated film “Super Size Me,” passed away this week at the age of 53 due to complications from cancer.

The news of Morgan’s passing was confirmed in a statement released by his brother, Craig Spurlock.

“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” his brother Craig Spurlock said in a statement. “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.”

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Morgan was born on November 7, 1970, in Parkersburg, West Virginia. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in West Virginia, Spurlock attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, from which he graduated with a BFA in film in 1993.

Before he became a household name following the creation of the 2004 documentary “Super Size Me,” Spurlock worked as a playwright. He won awards for his play “The Phoenix” at both the New York International Fringe Festival in 1999 and the Route 66 American Playwriting Competition in 2000.

In 2003, Spurlock began filming what would become his most well-known work. For this documentary, Morgan planned to eat McDonald’s for all three meals a day for thirty days. Additionally, Spurlock was not allowed to refuse the “super size” option whenever it was offered to him. As a result of the experiment, Spurlock’s diet contained twice the calories recommended by the USDA, which led him to gain twenty-five pounds. Additionally, he suffered from liver dysfunction and depression.

After the success of “Super Size Me,” Spurlock’s next documentary, titled “Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?,” was released at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2008.

Spurlock created many more documentaries throughout his career, such as “30 Days” and “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.”