Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock dies aged 53
Morgan Spurlock, a filmmaker who created Super Size Me and Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?, passed away on Thursday at the age of 53.
As per the statement released by his family, he passed away in the company of his loved ones in New York due to cancer-related issues.
His sibling Craig Spurlock expressed, "The day we bid farewell to my kin Morgan was a sorrowful day. Morgan's contributions through his artistic talent, concepts and benevolence were significant. The world lost a true visionary and a unique individual. It brings me immense pride to have partnered with him."
In 2004, Super Size Me became Morgan Spurlock's debut film as a director, which diverged from previous documentary-making styles by using accessible and customized gimmicks. The movie features Spurlock's plan to limit his entire diet to McDonald's food for one month, documenting the impact on his physical and mental well-being. Super Size Me received a nomination for the Best Documentary Oscar, and it gained recognition for raising awareness about America's obesity crisis. In a follow-up film, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! in 2017, Spurlock operated his fast food enterprise, scrutinizing the changes made by the food industry since the first movie's success.
Spurlock was born and raised in West Virginia. He went to New York university, where he got a BFA degree. In 2002, he made a stunt webcast called I Bet You Will. Later, it became a TV show. When Super Size Me became well-known, Spurlock created Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? In this documentary, he tried to find the then-runaway leader of al-Qaida. He also had a part in Freakonomics (released in 2010) and POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (released in 2011). These documentaries explored different topics like the influence of names on people’s lives and product placement, respectively. One Direction: This Is Us was Spurlock’s creation in 2013. He made this 3D film featuring the British boy band, where he showed their concerts and behind the scenes footage.
Spurlock was the individual in charge of the TV program The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special - In 3-D! On Ice!, which was screened in 2010. Some may say that his most thriving TV venture was the FX series 30 Days that aired from 2005 to 2008. In this show, people embraced unusual tasks or ways of living, like a committed Christian who resided with a Muslim family, or Spurlock himself had the experience of living with a minimum wage.
Spurlock came forward in 2017 with an open letter confessing to sexual misconduct and subsequently stepping down from his production company, Warrior Poets.
Spurlock used to be wedded to Alexandra Jamieson and Sara Bernstein in the past. He has two sons named Laken and Kallen.
