Michael Oher speaks out for the first time amid legal battle with the Tuohy family
As a movie critic with a penchant for delving deep into the lives of those brought to celluloid glory, I find myself compelled to share my thoughts on the latest revelations concerning Michael Oher, the real-life inspiration behind “The Blind Side.”
For the initial time after filing a lawsuit, retired NFL player Michael Oher – who’s life served as inspiration for the Academy Award-winning movie “The Blind Side” – has voiced his thoughts publicly.
Another individual claims that the Tuohy family deceived him into agreeing to a conservatorship when he was 19, suggesting it was equivalent to adoption. He asserted that the family took advantage of him, profiting off his “name, appearance, and likeness for speaking engagements,” from which they amassed millions, as reported by The New York Times Magazine.
“For a considerable period, my mind harbored intense anger due to my challenging situation with Sean and Leigh Ann Tuohy,” the 38-year-old shared with the magazine. “I aspire to regain the person I was before ‘The Blind Side,’ in terms of character. I’m continuously making efforts towards that goal.”
In the movie, Quinton Aaron portrays Oher, a homeless African-American teenager. Leigh Anne, played by Sandra Bullock, and her husband Sean, represented by Tim McGraw, welcome him into their home, eventually assuming legal guardianship, which significantly impacts everyone’s lives. They offer him educational assistance and other support, enabling Michael to excel academically and athletically. The film received praise in 2009 from The Times for its optimism, lack of skepticism, and abundance of emotion. However, Oher has criticized both the movie and the 2006 book it was adapted from, claiming they do not accurately represent his life story.
He filed a petition in a Tennessee court last year claiming that the couple who said they’d adopted him never actually did. On Aug. 14, he submitted a 14-page document to the Shelby County Probate Court, alleging the Tuohys tricked him into signing the conservatorship, which he thought was part of an adoption when they took him in. This document gave the Tuohys the power to make business deals using his name, including those related to the film. Oher says the couple kept nearly two decades’ worth of financial information from him. He accuses the Tuohys of ignoring their legal and financial responsibilities to him.
Other stated that when the 2009 movie premiered, he decided against voicing his opinion as he was fully committed to kick-starting his professional journey with the Baltimore Ravens.
In an interview with the magazine published on Sunday, Oher stated that playing professional football is a challenging endeavor. He emphasized that it requires complete dedication. Due to my need to concentrate fully on my career in the NFL, I went along with their storyline and focused less on off-field matters.
Previously selected in the first round of the draft, the player responded to allegations from a pair last year, claiming he had demanded $15 million from them. This claim emerged following Oher’s own lawsuit filing. Martin D. Singer, who represents the Tuohys, stated then that the couple “will not shy away from defending their good reputation, standing firm against this extortion attempt and overcoming this baseless lawsuit.”
In his own words, “After putting in a lot of effort during the game, I savored the relief upon finishing and set aside my earnings to make the most of the downtime,” Oher stated. “I’m well-off financially, so I’m doing just fine.”
Despite not being present at the movie’s initial screening, I eventually watched it about a month later. I found it quite surreal, as if I was watching a comedy unfold about someone else. The film seemed to significantly understate my intelligence, which left my new colleagues doubting my abilities.
He shared that some people within the NFL were asking if he could understand a playbook. He began to notice articles online labeling him as unintelligent or foolish. The frequent mentions of “The Blind Side” in every article made it seem like part of his identity. His concern was, if his children struggle with schoolwork, would their teacher assume, “Their father is not smart – perhaps that’s why they can’t grasp the material?”
The next hearing in the lawsuit is set for October.
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2024-08-20 04:01