The former child actor, remembered for “How to Eat Fried Worms,” died Feb. 8 at a sober living residence in Tulsa.
TULSA, Okla. — Former child actor Blake Garrett died from acute fentanyl toxicity, and his death was ruled an accident, according to findings attributed to the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner more than five months after he died.
The ruling provides an official explanation for Garrett’s Feb. 8 death at age 33. Garrett, whose full name was Nolan Blake Garrett, was best known for playing Plug in the 2006 family comedy “How to Eat Fried Worms.” Reports citing the medical examiner’s summary said no other significant medical condition contributed to his death.
Garrett died at a sober living house in Tulsa, according to accounts of the examiner’s findings. He was found at the residence and pronounced dead at the scene. The available findings did not explain how he obtained the fentanyl, and officials had not announced any evidence indicating that another person caused his death.
His mother, Carol Garrett, said after his death that the family was waiting for autopsy results. She said her son had maintained his sobriety for about three years and had worked to rebuild his life in Oklahoma. Her comments were made before the medical examiner released its findings.
Carol Garrett also said her son had visited an emergency room shortly before his death while experiencing severe pain. She said he was diagnosed with shingles, a viral infection that can cause a painful rash. She raised the possibility that he may have tried to manage the pain himself, but that remained a family member’s theory rather than an official finding.
The medical examiner did not identify shingles or another health condition as a contributing cause, according to published accounts of the report. The finding instead listed acute fentanyl toxicity as the probable cause and classified the manner of death as accidental.
Garrett was born Sept. 14, 1992, in Austin, Texas. His family’s obituary said he showed an early interest in performance and appeared in local plays and musical theater productions. Those productions included “Annie,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Grease,” “Aladdin and His Magical Lamp” and “Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Tribute.”
As a child, Garrett joined the international tour of “Barney’s Colorful World” and later appeared in the 2004 video production “Barney’s Colorful World, Live!” His most widely recognized role came two years later in “How to Eat Fried Worms,” a film based on Thomas Rockwell’s children’s novel.
Garrett played Plug, one of the students aligned with the school bully in the film. The cast included Luke Benward, Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Adam Hicks, Philip Daniel Bolden, Tom Cavanagh and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Garrett and the other young performers received a Young Artist Award for their ensemble work.
Garrett did not continue pursuing a major screen career after the film. His obituary focused on his family, friendships and interests outside acting, including sports. It said he later made his home in Oklahoma.
The accidental-death ruling resolves the main question that remained after Garrett’s family announced his death in February. No additional official findings or related investigation had been publicly announced as of Thursday.
Author note: Last updated July 16, 2026.