Blake Garrett, former child actor known for his role as Plug in the 2006 movie “How to Eat Fried Worms,” has passed away at the age of 33, according to his mother’s statement to TMZ on Monday.
Garrett’s death occurred on Sunday, February 8, at his residence in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His mother, Carol Garrett, disclosed to TMZ that the family is still awaiting autopsy results to determine the official cause of his death.
The former child actor was diagnosed with shingles after a visit to an Oklahoma emergency room due to severe pain. Carol Garrett expressed to TMZ her worry that her son might have self-medicated to manage the pain, speculating his death could have been an unintended consequence.
Despite the tragic occurrence, Carol Garrett shared that her son had been leading a fulfilling life in recent years in Tulsa. She noted that he had managed to turn his life around after achieving sobriety.
Garrett was born on September 14, 1992, in Austin, Texas. He developed a passion for performance at the age of eight and participated in various local productions. Garrett’s early career saw him taking on lead roles in plays such as “Aladdin and His Magical Lamp” and “Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Tribute.” He also appeared in productions of “The Wizard of Oz,” “Annie,” and “Grease.”
At the age of 10, Garrett joined the “Barney’s Colorful World International Tour” from 2003 to 2004, portraying the character Mike. He toured with the show for 18 months and was featured in the subsequent video release.
Garrett’s most significant career opportunity came in 2006 when he was cast in “How to Eat Fried Worms”, a family comedy film based on Thomas Rockwell’s 1973 book. The film cast included Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Tom Cavanagh, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, and James Rebhorn, among others.
In an interview with The Oklahoman in 2006, 13-year-old Garrett shared his positive experiences on the film set. “I play the bully’s henchman,” Garrett said. “But everybody got along on the set.”
Garrett recounted the thrill of being one of the few actors who already knew how to ride a bike before filming started. This allowed him to have the first choice of the on-set equipment, an experience he fondly remembered.
He also described a memorable scene involving a bike ride on a gravel road that ended up in the final cut of the film. The directors were so pleased with the shot of gravel hitting the camera lens during one of his bike slides that they decided to include it in the movie.
For their performance in “How to Eat Fried Worms,” Garrett and his co-stars received the Young Artist Award for Best Young Ensemble in a Feature Film in 2007. The ensemble comprised of actors like Benward, Eisenberg, Alexander Gould, Adam Hicks, Ryan Malgarini, and several others.
Post his success with “How to Eat Fried Worms,” Garrett appeared in the pilot episode of NBC’s short-lived television series “Inconceivable,” and had a role in “Little Flower.” He did not seem to have continued acting into his adulthood.
While touring with “Barney’s Colorful World International Tour,” Garrett’s nearly white-blonde hair attracted attention from children in various countries, some of whom had never seen such hair color before and were curious to touch it.
Garrett was diagnosed with shingles prior to his death. This viral infection, caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, affects about one in three people at some point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although shingles can cause severe pain, it results in fewer than 100 deaths annually in the United States, primarily among older adults or those with weakened immune systems.
In the past three years, Garrett had been leading a life his mother described as good in Tulsa after attaining sobriety. He leaves behind his mother, younger brother, and the family’s pets.
