“The Blind Side” tells the emotional journey of an African American teenager overcoming homelessness and adversity to become an NFL offensive lineman. With help from his adoptive family, the Tuohys, he realises his potential in American Football and gets his grades up enough to go to college.
It’s based on the true story of Michael Oher, who played in the NFL for eight seasons from 2009 to 2017 and won the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013. He was taken in by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy during high school, after being moved between homes as a child and ending up homeless.
The film, based on the 2006 book of the same name, came out in 2009 to critical acclaim and was the 22nd highest-grossing movie of that year. Sandra Bullock, who played Leigh Anne Tuohy, received an Oscar for Best Actress as well as a Golden Globe and a SAG award for the role.
However, things weren’t as picture-perfect in real life. In August 2023, Oher sued the Tuohy family over being misled by them into signing a conservatorship.
Oher signed onto a conservatorship by the Tuohy family in August 2004, shortly after turning 18. Oher claimed that the Tuohys told him that he was getting adopted, which is why he signed the documents.
A conservatorship is a legal arrangement to control the financial and personal affairs of someone unable to do so due to mental issues. During this time, the Tuohys had control over Oher’s name, image and financial rights. This led to them making business deals on his behalf.
The Tuohys had negotiated contracts for The Bright Side in 2006, and Leigh Anne became a motivational speaker, charging thousands for appearances after the movie telling Oher’s story.
Michael Oher sued the Tuohys for loss of earnings, a record of all the money made from his story and the end of the conservatorship. Court documents have later shown that the Tuohys and their two children had made $138,000 each from the movie, while Oher had claimed to have received nothing.
A Tennessee judge ended the conservatorship in September 2023, with the Shelby County Probate Court stating that it should never have been issued to a man without disabilities. However, the lawsuit is still ongoing.
Outside of the lawsuit, Michael Oher wasn’t a fan of “The Bright Side”, with him declining to go to the premiere of the film, instead not watching the film until over a month after its release.
“It’s hard to describe my reaction,” Oher told the New York Times Magazine in 2024.
“It seemed kinda funny at first, to tell you the truth, like it was a comedy about someone else. It didn’t register.”
Oher claimed that the movie affected people’s impression of him, with it undermining his intelligence to the point that it was costing him professionally.
“Social media was just starting to grow, and I started seeing stuff that I’m dumb. I’m stupid.”
“The NFL people were wondering if I could read a playbook,” he claimed.
“Every article about me mentioned “The Blind Side” like it was a part of my name.”
