"Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity," his brother said.
Morgan Spurlock, the filmmaker behind the award-winning documentary "Super Size Me," died from cancer complications, his family announced on Friday.
"Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity," his brother Craig Spurlock said in a statement. "The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man."
Spurlock passed away on Thursday at the age of 53, according to his family.
The Oscar-nominated documentarian and director from West Virginia gained fame by consuming fast food exclusively for 30 days, a stunt that formed the basis of his hit 2004 film. During this period, Spurlock asserted that he consumed only McDonald's menu items for all three meals, showcasing the drastic effects this diet had on his physical and mental well-being.
As a New York University alum, Spurlock continued his exploration of food culture with a follow-up in 2017 titled "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!" This marked his final documentary endeavor.
In the sequel, Spurlock delved into how the fast food industry had attempted to rebrand itself under a healthier guise since his initial exploration. This time, he took a bold step by opening his own fast-food fried chicken restaurant, aiming to uncover the marketing tactics employed by fast food companies in the 12 years since his original documentary.
"The goal of Holy Chicken is to start leveling the playing field," he explained in an interview with Juju Chang for "Nightline" prior to the film's release. "The way I believe we can outdo [competitors] is by creating a genuinely farm-to-table, locally sourced fast food establishment."
During the same interview, Spurlock addressed a significant social media post he made regarding the Me Too movement.
Regarding his own history of sexual misconduct detailed in the open letter, Spurlock revealed to ABC News, "Nobody came forward and said, 'I'm coming after you.'" He later settled a sexual harassment claim at his production company, Warrior Poets, acknowledging that he had made "sexually offensive" comments that "verbally crossed the line."
"After I made those statements, everything fell apart," he said upon stepping down as CEO of the company.
Spurlock also disclosed his battle with alcoholism. Reflecting on his journey to sobriety, he emphasized the need to begin with oneself, stating to ABC News, "I wish I had started it 10 years ago."
The filmmaker also ventured into metacinema with his 2011 documentary, “POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,” which was funded entirely by sponsors as he delved deep into the realms of product placement, marketing, and advertising.
He is survived by his two sons, Laken and Kallen; his mother, Phyllis Spurlock; his father, Ben; his brothers, Craig and Barry; and his ex-wives, Alexandra Jamieson and Sara Bernstein, the mothers of his two children.
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