Former Child Actor Blake Garrett Dies at 33

Blake Garrett, a former child actor best known for his role in the 2006 film How to Eat Fried Worms, has died at age 33.

TMZ reported that Garrett died on Sunday, Feb. 8, according to his mother, Carol Garrett. She said the family is awaiting autopsy results from a medical examiner in Oklahoma to determine the cause of death.

Garrett had recently gone to the emergency room after experiencing severe pain and was diagnosed with shingles, according to his mother. He had been living in Tulsa for the past three years and had embraced a sober lifestyle in recent years.

As a child actor, Garrett appeared in two onscreen projects. He performed in a 2004 Barney & Friends live special and played Plug in How to Eat Fried Worms, a family film based on the book by Thomas Rockwell. The movie starred Luke Benward as a new student who makes a bet requiring him to eat 10 worms without vomiting.

In a 2006 interview with The Oklahoman, Garrett described his role as the bully’s henchman and said he enjoyed the experience on set, recalling bike scenes and stunts filmed on gravel roads.

Garrett and the film’s young cast won a 2007 Young Artist Award for Best Young Ensemble Cast. The movie also featured actors including Hallie Kate Eisenberg and Alexander Gould, with adult roles played by Tom Cavanagh and others.

Garrett did not continue acting after How to Eat Fried Worms. As a teenager, he said he was more interested in football and wrestling than pursuing a long-term acting career.