Sandra Bullock’s Oscar-winning performance as Leigh Anne Tuohy became a subject of controversy when the real Michael Oher spoke up against the Tuohy family. In August 2023, Oher filed a lawsuit alleging that Leigh Ann and Sean Tuohy had never adopted him; instead, they had only signed a conservatorship agreement, denying him any royalties earned for The Blind Side. The lawsuit has put The Blind Side back into the spotlight 14 years after its release.
In light of the recent developments, the media and the fans revisited every interview and behind-the-scenes tidbit related to the movie. In one such interview, Bullock shared her intimidating encounter with her real-life counterpart.
Sandra Bullock Was Terrified To Meet Leigh Anne Tuohy
Sandra Bullock’s film was based on the book of the same name by journalist Michael Lewis. Lewis’s other written works also made their way to the big screen, including Moneyball and The Big Short. Before the production of the film, Bullock met with the real Leigh Anne Tuohy. At the time, The Proposal actress was doubtful of the John Lee Hancock-directed film.
However, her meeting with Mrs. Tuohy changed her perspective, as the interior designer managed to scare her to some extent. As weird as it seems, The Lost City actress liked the intimidating character of Tuohy. The latter was brought up by her U.S. Marshal father which made her tough in life. Bullock also recalled Tuohy pulling out a handgun, and she shared the incident with EW:
“At the end of the day, Leigh Anne took a little hand pistol out of her glove compartment and said, ‘Y’all just need to carry one of these’. I kid you not. If you’re her friend, she would stop at nothing to get done what she needed to get done for you. If you’re her enemy, forget about it — you’re going to wish you were dead.”
Tuohy also admitted that she was as loving and giving as a born-again Christian would be, but if someone offended her, she would not hesitate to “kick their a**”. The businesswoman was also content with Bullock’s portrayal of her in the movie.
Sandra Bullock’s Performance Satisfied Leigh Anne Tuohy
Sandra Bullock delivered an exceptional performance in the film which she initially thought to be “schmaltzy and soft”. Tuohy made it clear to her that there was nothing soft about her character and it was a genuine, no-nonsense motherly love that she felt for Michael Oher. While the film was criticized at the time for promoting a ‘white savior’ trope and currently finds itself in a bad spotlight, Tuohy and the Academy believed that Bullock did a great job.
When asked about the Ocean’s 8 actress’s performance in the film, Tuohy provided her “honest” opinion. Tuohy told EW:
“She did a good job. And if she’d done a bad job, I’d have told you in a second — I’m all about being honest. And she has nice ta-tas. I was elated about that.”
As of now, the Demolition Man actress has not commented on Oher’s lawsuit. However, Quinton Aaron who played Oher in the movie, came to the defense of his co-star and urged the media to stop tarnishing Bullock’s reputation due to the incident. The Tuohy family earlier admitted to signing a conservatorship agreement, justifying it by noting that Oher was over 18 by the time they became his legal guardians.
The Tuohys’ attorney expressed that the family had been deeply hurt by the controversy. He claimed that Oher had previously tried to blackmail the family with these allegations while seeking $15 million in compensation. The lawsuit remains ongoing, with a verdict pending.
The Blind Side is now available for rent on AppleTV+.
Source: EW
