Former child actor Blake Garrett, known best for his role as Plug in the family comedy How To Eat Fried Worms, died from a fentanyl overdose, TMZ reported, citing a summary report from the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
According to the report, Garrett’s cause of death is listed as acute fentanyl toxicity, with the manner of death ruled an accident. The report also notes Garrett died at a sober living house in Tulsa, TMZ reports.
Garrett died February 8 in Oklahoma at the age of 33. At the time, Garrett’s mother told TMZ Blake went to the emergency room a week prior after experiencing intense pain and was later diagnosed with shingles. She said she feared he may have self-medicated due to pain from the viral infection after three years of sobriety, and believed his death may have been a tragic accident.
Born on September 14, 1992 in Austin, Texas, Garrett began performing at age 8 in local Austin productions, earning lead roles as the magician in Aladdin and his Magical Lamp and as Charlie Brown in Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Tribute. Additional theater credits include The Wizard of Oz, Annie and Grease.
His most well-known film appearance came in the 2006 children’s comedy film How to Eat Fried Worms. He shared in a Young Artist Award the following year for Best Young Ensemble in a Feature Film. Written and directed by Bob Dolman, the film, based on Thomas Rockwell’s 1973 children’s book of the same name, also starred James Rebhorn, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Tom Cavanagh.
When he was 10, Garrett traveled with the arena show Barney’s Colorful World International Tour from 2003-2004. He played the role of Mike, which he also portrayed in the subsequent video.
