Topics: Film and TV, Michael Oher
Michael Oher has claimed The Blind Side family negotiated the movie contract on his behalf, amid ongoing allegations that they made millions out of him and tried to ‘trick’ him into conservatorship.
The sports movie is based on the 2006 book of the same name, where black teenager Oher (played by Quinton Aaron) sees himself in and out of the school system, eventually finding himself homeless.
Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), and her husband Sean (Tim McGraw), take in Oher and become his legal guardians, helping him to embark on a glittering career in the NFL after recognising his potential.
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Oher recently claimed that the legal adoption never actually took place and that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy simply 'tricked him' into signing a document making them his conservators.
He has petitioned a Tennessee court with allegations that a central element of the film's plot was 'concocted by the family to enrich themselves at his expense' - namely, his adoption.
Oher has now claimed in his new filing that the Tuohys ‘negotiated a contract’ on his behalf for the film.
“The co-conservators never presented [Oher] with any written documentation to show any earnings they derived from the movie,” the documents say.
“[He] has been kept in the dark, forced to rely on the verbal assurances from his co-conservators.”
The Tuohys and their two birth children went on to receive '$225,000' plus '2.5%' of the film's 'defined net proceeds'.
The Oscar-winning movie ended up reportedly locking up more than $300 million at the box office while Oher himself received nothing as reported by ESPN on Monday (14 August), despite the fact the story 'would not have existed without him'.
A legal filing from earlier this month 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.
"Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys."
In response to the allegations, Sean Tuohy told the Daily Memphian that the family were prepared to do ‘whatever Michael wants’ - including ending their conservatorship.
He also said the family 'didn't make any money off the movie' aside from Blind Side author Michael Lewis giving them half of his share, which Sean says meant each family member received $14,000, including Michael.
He added: “We’re devastated. It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children. But we’re going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16.”
