Morgan Spurlock, 'Super Size Me' director and star, has died at 53

Morgan Spurlock, the director of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Super Size Me" that showed the effects of him eating McDonald's every day for a month, has died at 53.

Spurlock's family said in a statement to NBC News that Spurlock died in New York on May 23 from complications of cancer.

"It’s was sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” his brother, Craig Spurlock, who worked with him on several projects, 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 man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”

The 2004 documentary "Super Size Me" depicted the physical and mental health effects of Spurlock eating McDonald's for every meal every day for a month. He also instituted a rule in the movie that he had to accept the "super size" option whenever it was offered to him at a McDonald's restaurant.

The film spurred a conversation about the harmful effects of regular fast food consumption. He said he gained almost 25 pounds and alleged he suffered from liver issues and depression by the end of the experiment in the documentary.

McDonald's eliminated its "super size" offering after the film's release.

However, the New York Times reported in May 2024 that two decades after the film, fast food is bigger than ever. McDonald’s stock is more than 1,000% higher since the film came out, and the fast good giant is nearing 42,000 global locations. There also are 40 different fast food chains with more than 500 locations in the U.S.

Spurlock directed nearly 70 documentary film and television series in his career, according to his family. He also worked on films about the U.S. war in Afghanistan, immigrant labor and minimum wage.

In 2017, he came out with a sequel to his most famous film, releasing "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!," a closer look at the chicken industry.

Later that same year, Spurlock admitted to a history of sexual misconduct in a blog post amid the #MeToo movement.

“I am part of the problem,” he wrote.

Spurlock shared that he was accused of rape while in college at New York University in the early 1990s, and that he settled a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a female assistant over sexual comments he made in his office. Spurlock also said that he was unfaithful to both of his wives as well as other romantic partners.

The admissions in the blog post led to him stepping down from his production company, Warrior Poets, according to Variety. "Super Size Me 2" ended up being his final film.

Spurlock is survived by sons Laken and Kallen, parents Phyllis and Ben, former spouses Alexandra Jamieson and Sara Bernstein and brothers Craig and Barry.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com