Blake Garrett, the former child actor best known for his role as Plug in the family comedy ‘How to Eat Fried Worms’, passed away on February 8 in Oklahoma at the age of 33. He was found at a sober living house in Tulsa. His mother said that Blake had visited the emergency room a week prior after experiencing intense pain and was subsequently diagnosed with shingles.According to a summary report from the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner obtained by TMZ, Garrett’s cause of passing is listed as acute fentanyl toxicity, with the manner of passing ruled an accident. His mother expressed concern that he may have self-medicated in response to the pain from the viral infection, especially since he had maintained three years of sobriety before the incident. She believed his passing may have been a tragic accident.
Blake Garrett’s early life and theatrical career
Born on September 14, 1992, in Austin, Texas, Garrett began his performance career at age 8, earning lead roles in local Austin theatre productions. His early theatrical credits included portraying the magician in ‘Aladdin and his Magical Lamp’ and playing Charlie Brown in ‘Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Tribute’. Additional theatre credits included appearances in ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Annie’ and ‘Grease’, demonstrating his versatility across multiple productions during his childhood years.
Blake Garrett built his early career through theatre productions before finding recognition in film.Image credit (Instagram)
Blake Garrett’s film and television work
Garrett’s most well-known film appearance came in the 2006 children’s comedy ‘How to Eat Fried Worms’, where he portrayed the character Plug. His performance in the ensemble cast earned him recognition, as he shared a Young Artist Award the following year for Best Young Ensemble in a Feature Film. The film, written and directed by Bob Dolman and based on Thomas Rockwell’s 1973 children’s book of the same name, also starred James Rebhorn, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Tom Cavanagh.
Blake Garrett’s tour and additional performance work
When he was 10 years old, Garrett travelled extensively with the arena show ‘Barney’s Colourful World International Tour’ from 2003 to 2004, where he played the role of Mike. He reprised this character in the subsequent video release of the production, expanding his performance experience beyond traditional theatre and film into live touring entertainment.
