Michael Oher, a former NFL player and central figure of the acclaimed film “The Blind Side.” Oher asserts that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, the couple portrayed in the movie, never officially adopted him. Instead, he claims they manipulated him into signing away his legal rights to use his name in business endeavors after he turned 18, as per ESPN reports.
Filed in a 14-page petition at Shelby County, Tennessee, probate court, the claim delves into the allegations that the Tuohys leveraged their conservatorship to generate substantial royalties for themselves and their biological children from the successful 2009 movie, starring Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw.
According to the legal filing, Oher contends that the Tuohys capitalized on the fabrication of his adoption to their own benefit, amassing riches at his expense. The filing reads, “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.”
Oher asserts that he learned of the falsehood in February of 2023 when he discovered that the conservatorship he consented to did not grant him the familial relationship he believed he had with the Tuohy family.
This revelation bears significance, as if Oher had indeed been legally adopted, he would have retained control over his finances as a family member. However, the conservatorship ceded this authority to the Tuohys.
“The Blind Side,” based on Michael Lewis’ book of the same name, depicts Oher’s journey from a disadvantaged youth to an NFL player with the support of the Tuohy family. Sandra Bullock’s portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy earned her accolades, and the film grossed over $300 million.
Oher, currently 37, played for the Ravens, Titans, and Panthers during his eight-year NFL career, following an impressive stint at Ole Miss. He seeks to terminate the Tuohys’ conservatorship, along with an injunction barring the use of his name and likeness, a detailed financial account of their purported earnings from his name, a fair share of profits, and punitive damages.
The petition alleges that the Tuohys allowed him and the public to believe in his adoption, capitalizing on this misrepresentation for financial gain.
Oher’s criticism of the movie has been longstanding, asserting that it negatively impacted his football career.
