Morgan Spurlock, director of Oscar-nominated 2004 documentary film, "Super Size Me", passed away on May 23 from complications of cancer.

According to The Associated Press (AP), the family of the 53-year-old American filmmaker said in a statement on May 24 that he had suffered complications from the illness.

His brother, Craig Spurlock, said: "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."

Made thought-provoking documentaries

Spurlock was known for his thought-provoking documentary films.

In his 2004 documentary "Super Size Me", Spurlock claimed to have only eaten McDonald's food for 30 days from Feb. 1 to Mar. 2, 2003.

The film documented the drastic mental and physical effects that he experienced, including gaining weight and losing his sex drive.

It also shed light on the fast food industry and how it promotes poor diets for financial gains.

"Super Size Me" was then nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2005.

In 2017, Spurlock released a sequel, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!", which addressed claims about fast food being healthier and organic.

He had also opened his own fast food restaurant, Holy Chicken, to explore the topic.

The film was also his final documentary.

Admitted to sexual misconduct

Spurlock's personal life was not without controversy and the truth-teller chose to come clean about his past.

“Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” was to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017.

However, it was canned when the #MeToo movement gained momentum and Spurlock came forward to confess his own history of sexual misconduct.

He said 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.

“I am part of the problem,” he wrote then.

“For me, there was a moment of kind of realisation — as somebody who is a truth-teller and somebody who has made it a point of trying to do what’s right — of recognizing that I could do better in my own life. We should be able to admit we were wrong,” he previously told AP.

Apart from the "Super Size Me" films, his other notable film was the 2008 documentary, "Where in the World Is Osama bin Laden?", in which he visited countries in the Middle East and explored topics on war and terrorism.

Spurlock is survived by two sons, his parents, two brothers, and two former spouses.

Top photos via Morgan Spurlock/Instagram & Super Size Me/Facebook