Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, an Oscar-nominee renowned for focusing on food and American diets, has passed away at the age of 53. He gained fame by exclusively eating McDonald’s for a month to highlight the dangers of a fast-food diet.
Spurlock died Thursday in New York due to complications from cancer, according to a statement issued Friday by his family.
“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” stated Craig Spurlock, who collaborated 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 made a significant impact in 2004 with his groundbreaking documentary “Super Size Me,” and followed up in 2019 with “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” — an in-depth look at an industry that processes 9 billion animals annually in America.
As a filmmaker, Spurlock embraced a gonzo style, characterized by zippy graphics and amusing music, blending a Michael Moore-esque camera-in-your-face approach with his own unique sense of humor and pathos.
Following his exposure of the fast-food and chicken industries, there was a surge in restaurants emphasizing freshness, artisanal methods, farm-to-table practices, and ethically sourced ingredients. However, the nutritional quality of food has not seen significant improvement.
“There has been this massive shift and people say to me, ‘So has the food gotten healthier?’ And I say, ‘Well, the marketing sure has,’” he told the AP in 2019.
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