Sandra Bullock won the 2009 Oscar for Best Actress for her work in the biographical drama, The Blind Side. The film was based on Michael Lewis’s book of the same name, published in 2006. It focused on the life of former football offensive tackle, Michael Oher, who overcame poverty to join the NFL (National Football League) with the help of his adoptive parents- Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy.
Leigh was portrayed by Sandra Bullock, Sean was portrayed by Tim McGraw, and the lead character of Oher was portrayed by Quinton Aaron. John Lee Hancock both wrote and directed motivational sports dramas.
Now more than ten years later, the real-life Michael Oher filed a petition, claiming that the movie The Blind Side, which was allegedly based on his life, had ruined his image.
Michael Oher Blamed Sandra Bullock’s Film for Ruining His Image
Michael Oher, a former NFL tackle, who served as the inspiration for the popular movie, The Blind Side, has alleged that the storyline of the movie was false. The popular film centered on Oher as its main character; he was portrayed as a young man from a poor background who was eventually adopted by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, a wealthy white family.
On Monday, the retired player filed a petition with a Tennessee court. According to the 14-page petition submitted in Shelby County, Tennessee, probate court, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who hosted Oher while he was a high school student, never legally adopted him.
Instead, the couple allegedly tricked Oher into signing a document designating them as his conservators less than three months after he turned 18 in 2004, giving them the legal right to conduct business in his name.
ESPN cited the legal filing as saying:
“The lie of Michael’s adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher. He discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys.”
What Did The Blind Side Actor Say to Michael Oher?
Michael Oher became well-known, thanks to the John Lee Hancock-helmed film, The Blind Side, but the NFL veteran felt the movie painted him in a negative light.
The Blind Side received overwhelmingly positive reviews from audiences, despite Oher’s dislike of the film. Sandra Bullock‘s Oscar win for Best Actress is commendable given the mixed reviews she received from critics.
In a previous response to Oher’s criticism, Quinton Aaron, who played Michael Oher in the movie, said that the film had been successful in conveying a message of hope to a sizable audience. He questioned why the former National Football League (NFL) player still cared about what other people thought despite his success.
“You gotta at some point notice the amount of people’s lives this movie has touched in a positive, encouraging and inspiring manner. At the end of the day bro you are a millionaire, you’re famous, you are a SuperBowl Champ, you have an amazing family that loves you, friends, fans and teammates. Who gives a damn about what people say or think who wanna criticize your game bro, that shouldn’t matter.”
Meanwhile, Oher alleged for many years that The Blind Side offered the pain caused by what he believed to be its inaccurate portrayal of his life. The following was written by him in his recently published book When Your Back’s Against the Wall.
“There has been so much created from The Blind Side that I am grateful for, which is why you might find it as a shock that the experience surrounding the story has also been a large source of some of my deepest hurt and pain over the past 14 years. Beyond the details of the deal, the politics, and the money behind the book and movie, it was the principle of the choices some people made that cut me the deepest.”
The movie was a financial hit, bringing in over $309 million on a $29 million budget.
The Blind Side is available to rent on Apple TV+.
