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Blake Garrett, the young actor remembered for his role as Plug in the 2006 family film How to Eat Fried Worms, has passed away at the age of 33. The news comes as a shock to fans who fondly recall his early performances on screen.
According to TMZ, Garrett’s mother, Carol, confirmed that he died on Sunday, February 8. The family is awaiting the results of an autopsy from a medical examiner in Oklahoma to determine the cause of death. Carol shared that Blake had recently visited an emergency room in Oklahoma due to severe pain and was diagnosed with shingles. For the past three years, Blake had been living in Tulsa and had embraced a sober lifestyle.
Blake began his acting career as a child, appearing in the 2004 Barney & Friends special Barney’s
Colorful World, Live! before making his film debut in How to Eat Fried Worms, based on Thomas Rockwell’s 1974 children’s book. In the 2006 movie, Blake portrayed the bully’s henchman alongside stars such as Luke Benward, Adam Hicks, Hallie Kate Eisenberg, and Ryan Malgarini.
Reflecting on his experience, Blake told The Oklahoman in 2006, “I play the bully’s henchman. But everybody got along on the set.” He fondly recalled scenes with bicycles, gravel roads, and the excitement of filming stunts: “There were rows of bicycles, and they let me have first pick… They had a camera on the ground, and in one scene I slid and gravel hit the camera. They really liked that shot, and that’s the one they used in the movie.”
Blake and the How to Eat Fried Worms ensemble were recognized with a Young Artist Award in 2007 for Best Young Ensemble Cast in a Feature Film, triumphing over films such as Nanny McPhee, Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, and Unaccompanied Minors. The movie’s adult cast included Tom Cavanagh, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, James Rebhorn, and Andrea Martin.
Following How to Eat Fried Worms, Blake stepped away from acting to focus on his other interests, including football and wrestling, which he had expressed a passion for during interviews at the time.
