Blake Garrett, the former child actor best known for his role as Pug in the 2006 film “How to Eat Fried Worms,” has died, his mother, Carol Garrett, confirmed to multiple news outlets. He was 33.
Garrett died on Sunday, February 8, according to reports. While the initial cause of death was unknown, Carol Garrett told TMZ that her son had been hospitalized the previous week with severe pain later diagnosed as shingles. She suggested a possible connection between the infection and his death, with the family awaiting autopsy results for an official determination, according to USA Today.
Born in Austin, Garrett gained recognition for his role in “How to Eat Fried Worms,” a film based on the controversial 1973 children’s book of the same name. The movie featured Luke Benward, Tom Cavanagh, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, among others. Garrett won a Young Artist Foundation award with the cast for best young ensemble in a feature film for his performance, as reported by USA Today and Eonline.
Prior to his role in “How to Eat Fried Worms,” Garrett had been involved in local productions of “Aladdin,” “Peanuts,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Annie,” and “Grease.” He also toured internationally with “Barney’s Colorful World” as Mike, a role he recalled fondly, noting that children were fascinated by his nearly white hair, according to Eonline.
In recent years, Garrett had reportedly achieved sobriety and was living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, according to his mother. Eonline reported that he had been living happily in Tulsa after becoming sober.
News of Garrett’s death prompted an outpouring of grief on social media, with fans sharing memories of the film and expressing shock at the loss. A Twitter post from @kindnessarena showed a still from the film, while @InMemoriamX posted a tribute image.
Garrett’s death is the latest in a series of tragic events involving former child actors. He starred in a pilot episode of the television series “Inconceivable” after his role in “How to Eat Fried Worms,” according to USA Today.
