One of the most iconic based-on-a-true-story sports drama films of the late 2000s is revealed to be nearly fictitious, according to one of its main subjects.
Michael Oher, the former NFL offensive tackle star, has filed a lawsuit against his supposed adoptive parents, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy.
Oher and the Tuohys' story was the basis of the 2009 drama film The Blind Side, which starred Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, while Bullock won the Academy Award for Best Actress for portraying the Tuohy matriarch in the 82nd edition of the Awards show in 2010.
The allegations that Oher filed against the Tuohys in the lawsuit include placing him in a conservatorship instead of legally adopting him, which was one of the central elements of the story in the film.
Oher claimed that the family never officially adopted him, instead tricking him into signing over the legal authority to use his name in business deals after he turned 18, which enabled the family to earn millions of dollars in royalties from the 2009 Oscar-nominated film that made more than $300 million in box office revenue worldwide.
The 37-year-old former NFL star also claimed he received nothing from the film. He only learned of the conservatorship last February 2023, which did not state any familial relationship with the Tuohys, much to his chagrin and embarrassment.
Oher would have kept the authority to handle his financial matters as a family member if he was indeed legally adopted. However, the conservatorship gave that authority to the Tuohy family.
Oher played eight seasons in the NFL, the majority of them with the Baltimore Ravens, with short stops with the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers.
He played college football for the University of Mississippi, the alma mater of the Tuohys and where the couple met.
Sean notably played college basketball for the Ole Miss Rebels and even got drafted into the NBA. However, he ultimately did not play in the league, opting to be a businessman with multiple fast-food franchises.
Oher spent three seasons for Ole Miss before declaring for the 2009 NFL Draft. The Ravens selected him in the first round with the 23rd overall pick.
Oher notably won the Super Bowl XLVII with Baltimore in February 2013, which the Tuohys attended.
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Michael Oher disappointed with the public reveal of the lawsuit
The eight-season former NFL veteran did not want the lawsuit to go public.
Oher released a statement regarding the matter, saying that he is disheartened by the revelation shared in the lawsuit today.
"This is a difficult situation for my family and me. I want to ask everyone to please respect our privacy at this time. For now, I will let the lawsuit speak for itself and will offer no further comment," he added.
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