‘Blind Side’ Michael Oher Claims His Inspirational Life Story Was A Lie
Michael Oher, the real man behind the inspirational sports movie, The Blind Side, has revealed some shocking news. In court papers filed in a Tennessee court, Oher said that the basis of his inspirational life story was based on a lie. He also said that he didn’t discover the lie until earlier this year.
Here is a look at what Oher discovered and what the court filings are about.
Blind Side subject says his ‘family’ lied to him his entire life
In 2006, Michael Lewis wrote the novel The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, the true story of Michael Oher and his rise from poverty to the NFL. That book was turned into a movie in 2009, with Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw playing Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, a couple who helped Oher overcome his impoverished upbringing to help him become a football star.
The movie was a massive success. It made $309 million at the box office on a $29 million budget and was a critical sensation. Sandra Bullock won the Oscar for Best Actress, the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama, and the SAG Award for Best Female Actor. The movie also picked up an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, although it didn’t win that one.
However, the movie also picked up some negative publicity over the years. This was especially true for those who saw the idea of adoption as “charity” and that the white couple was able to save the impoverished Black teen. That entire idea just took on a new ominous and sad meaning. According to court papers filed by Michael Oher, the Tuohy family never really adopted him.
Oher has always had a poor view of The Blind Side movie. He wrote about it in his memoir, I Beat The Odds: From Homelessness, to The Blind Side, and Beyond. “I felt like it [the movie] portrayed me as dumb instead of as a kid who had never had consistent academic instruction and ended up thriving once he got it,” Oher wrote. He also said that the movie made it look like he didn’t understand football, which was also a lie. The new lies make that pale in comparison.
Michael Oher suing Tuohy family for exploiting his story
In the 14-page court petition (via ESPN), Michael Oher claims that in February 2023, he shockingly learned the truth. The court papers indicate that the Tuohy family never adopted him, and he never knew about it until this year. He said they lied to him about the adoption and then had him sign papers three months after he turned 18 that made them his conservators.
Using this power, they were able to allegedly make millions of dollars in royalties off of The Blind Side for them and their two birth children. Oher said he never made a penny off the story, even though it was about him. He also said that he signed the Conservatorship because they said he was a member of the Tuohy family – which was a lie. He has no familial relationship with them legally.
Michael said he signed the papers as a high school senior. He said the Tuohy’s told him that it was the same as adoption papers and there was no difference between the two. However, they are not the same. If Oher was adopted, he would retain the rights to handle his financial affairs. With the Conservatorship, the Tuohys kept that authority – even when he became an adult. The papers claim the Tuohys paid their birth children $250,000 plus 2.5% of the film’s net profits. It claims they paid Oher nothing.
The Tuohy family still uses Michael Oher’s name and likeness to promote their foundation. Leigh Anne Tuohy also uses Michael to further promote her work as an author and motivational speaker. Michael has asked the courts to end the conservatorship. He also asked for an injunction barring the family from using his name or likeness. Michael also wants to be paid his fair share of profits as well as compensatory and punitive damages.
After high school, Michael Oher went to college at Ole Miss and ended up drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. He played in the NFL from 2009 until 2019.
Are you surprised at the court papers claiming Michael Oher’s life in The Blind Side was based on a lie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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