Morgan Spurlock, the documentary filmmaker known for eating McDonald’s every day for a month in the 2004 film “Super Size Me,” has died, according to multiple reports. He was 53.
Spurlock’s family confirmed he died Thursday in upstate New York from complications of cancer, according to a statement obtained by The Guardian and Variety.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” said his brother, Craig Spurlock, who worked with him on several projects. “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 have worked together with him.”
Spurlock rose to prominence with “Super Size Me,” which chronicled his experience eating only McDonald’s for every meal for 30 days. The film earned him an Oscar nomination for best documentary feature and a Grand Jury Prize for directing the film at the Sundance Film Festival.
Although the science behind his experiment has been debated, the film has been credited with ushering in a focus on freshness and ethically sourced ingredients in the fast-food industry, The Associated Press and Rolling Stone reported. Weeks after the film’s release, McDonald’s phased out its “supersize” meal option.
Spurlock went on to direct and produce dozens more films and TV episodes, including 2017′s “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” which focused on how the fast-food industry had changed since the release of “Super Size Me,” according to Variety.
“Spurlock fearlessly challenged modern conventions utilizing humor and wit to shed light on societal issues,” his family said in its statement, according to Deadline. “His films inspired critical thinking and encouraged viewers to question the status quo.”
He was on track to become one of the most successful documentary filmmakers in the modern day until 2017, when he wrote a blog post admitting to a history of sexual misconduct amidst the #MeToo movement, Deadline reported. The ensuing scandal delayed distribution of “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!″ by two years, according to the entertainment news outlet.
Spurlock is survived by two children, his mother, his father, two brothers, multiple nieces and nephews and his two former spouses, Entertainment Tonight reported.