Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America91裸聊视频檚 food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald91裸聊视频檚 for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet, has died. He was 53.

Spurlock died Thursday in New York from complications of cancer, according to a statement issued Friday by his family.

91裸聊视频淚t was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,91裸聊视频� Craig Spurlock, who worked with him on several projects, said in the statement. 91裸聊视频淢organ 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.91裸聊视频�

Spurlock made a splash in 2004 with his groundbreaking film 91裸聊视频淪uper Size Me,91裸聊视频� which was nominated for an Academy Award. The film chronicled the detrimental physical and psychological effects of Spurlock eating only McDonald91裸聊视频檚 food for 30 days. He gained about 25 pounds, saw a spike in his cholesterol and lost his sex drive.

91裸聊视频淓verything91裸聊视频檚 bigger in America,91裸聊视频� he said in the film. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e got the biggest cars, the biggest houses, the biggest companies, the biggest food, and finally: the biggest people.91裸聊视频�

In one scene, Spurlock showed kids a photo of George Washington and none recognized the Founding Father. But they all instantly knew the mascots for Wendy91裸聊视频檚 and McDonald91裸聊视频檚.

The film grossed more than $22 million on a $65,000 budget and preceded the release of Eric Schlosser91裸聊视频檚 influential 91裸聊视频淔ast Food Nation,91裸聊视频� which accused the industry of being bad for the environment and rife with labor issues.

Spurlock with 91裸聊视频淪uper Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� a sober look at an industry that processes 9 billion animals a year in America. He focused on two issues: chicken farmers stuck in a peculiar financial system and the attempt by fast-food chains to deceive customers into thinking they91裸聊视频檙e eating healthier.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e at an amazing moment in history from a consumer standpoint where consumers are starting to have more and more power,91裸聊视频� he told The Associated Press in 2019. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not about return for the shareholders. It91裸聊视频檚 about return for the consumers.91裸聊视频�

Spurlock was a gonzo-like filmmaker who leaned into the bizarre and ridiculous. His stylistic touches included zippy graphics and amusing music, blending a Michael Moore-ish camera-in-your-face style with his own sense of humor and pathos.

91裸聊视频淚 wanted to be able to lean into the serious moments. I wanted to be able to breathe in the moments of levity. We want to give you permission to laugh in the places where it91裸聊视频檚 really hard to laugh,91裸聊视频� he told the AP.

After he exposed the fast-food and chicken industries, there was an explosion in restaurants stressing freshness, artisanal methods, farm-to-table goodness and ethically sourced ingredients. But nutritionally not much had changed.

91裸聊视频淭here has been this massive shift and people say to me, 91裸聊视频楽o has the food gotten healthier?91裸聊视频� And I say, 91裸聊视频榃ell, the marketing sure has,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� he said.

Not all his work dealt with food. Spurlock made documentaries about and the geeks and fanboys at Comic-Con. One of his films looked at life behind bars at the Henrico County Jail in Virginia.

With 200891裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淲here in the World is Osama bin Laden?91裸聊视频� Spurlock went on a global search to find the al-Qaida leader, who was killed in 2011. In 91裸聊视频淧OM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,91裸聊视频� Spurlock tackled questions of product placement, marketing and advertising.

91裸聊视频淏eing aware is half the battle, I think. Literally knowing all the time when you91裸聊视频檙e being marketed to is a great thing,91裸聊视频� Spurlock told AP at the time. 91裸聊视频淎 lot of people don91裸聊视频檛 realize it. They can91裸聊视频檛 see the forest for the trees.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淪uper Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!91裸聊视频� was to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017 but it was shelved at the height of the #MeToo movement when Spurlock came forward to detail his own history of sexual misconduct.

He confessed that he had been accused of rape while in college and had settled a sexual harassment case with a female assistant. He also admitted to cheating on numerous partners. 91裸聊视频淚 am part of the problem,91裸聊视频� he wrote.

91裸聊视频淔or me, there was a moment of kind of realization 91裸聊视频� as somebody who is a truth-teller and somebody who has made it a point of trying to do what91裸聊视频檚 right 91裸聊视频� of recognizing that I could do better in my own life. We should be able to admit we were wrong,91裸聊视频� he told the AP.

Spurlock grew up in Beckley, West Virginia. His mother was an English teacher who he remembered would correct his work with a red pen. He graduated with a BFA in film from New York University in 1993.

He is survived by two sons 91裸聊视频� Laken and Kallen; his mother Phyllis Spurlock; father Ben; brothers Craig and Barry; and former spouses Alexandra Jamieson and Sara Bernstein, the mothers of his children.

___

Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press