We never thought that we’d have to report that the Tuohy family, the family behind the story of the 2009 film The Blind Side, is in a fight with Michael Oher, the adoptive son who is now accusing them of using him and never actually adopting him.
So, here’s a brief recap for those who mightn’t know about this story. Michael Oher was a homeless African-American teenager in the early 2000s and was taken in by the wealthy Caucasian Tuohy family. He loved football and represented The University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole Miss, in the sport.
The Oher Divide
For years, Oher was a big part of the Tuohy family, until recently. Michael alleges that early this year, he discovered he wasn’t adopted, was placed under a conservatorship, and never saw a cent he was allegedly supposed to get.
Here’s where things get interesting. The Tuohy family, who gave him everything, say he was blackmailing them. In a statement to People magazine, Martin Singer, the Tuohy family lawyer, has said that Michael Oher has tried to trick them out of $ 15 million. Oher also has threatened to put out a negative story about them if they don’t cough up the cash. Singer also says it’s not the first time he has pulled this stunt.
SJ Tuohy’s Interview
This was backed up by SJ Tuohy, Sean and Leigh Anne’s son, on the Barstool Sports podcast. According to SJ, the lawsuit has been a couple of years in the making. He also has the texts to prove that Michael has been trying to get money.
Moreover, Michael Lewis, the author of the book The Blind Side film was based off and a friend of Sean Tuohy, told the Washington Post, which was then published in Variety, that Oher turned down royalties.
Michael Oher Claims The Tuohys Made Money Off Him And That He Hated The Movie
Meanwhile, Michael Oher claims in his lawsuit that any money made off his name was being shared between the four members of the Tuohy family, meaning Sean and Leigh Anne and their two children, SJ and their daughter, Collins. However, the Tuohys have said this is untrue and that they decided on the conservatorship because Michael was too old to adopt. You cannot adopt someone over 18.
Another point we need to mention is that Michael was an adult and was allowed to sign documents without legal consent. Also, he complained that the Blind Side film hurt his life, didn’t see a cent from the movie, and misrepresented his intelligence. According to Oher, he was an intelligent kid and didn’t have issues with schoolwork, as the film depicts.
The Misunderstanding Behind Making A Movie
Okay, here’s what he didn’t understand. The Blind Side was adapted from a book and had to fictionalise some aspects. Otherwise, it would have been classed as a documentary. The people behind the film knew that they needed a lead character people could root for. While this isn’t right, it’s how storytelling goes, unfortunately. The film would not have been as successful if the fictional Michael had been smart.
We wanted to explain how Michael has been cutting the Tuohy off for a few years. If you scroll through the wedding photos on Oher’s Instagram account, none of the Tuohys were present. This means one of two things. The first is none of them could make it, or it’s the second option he deliberately didn’t invite them.
The Tuohys Get Shut Out
Finally, SJ mentions in an interview that he hadn’t seen Michael in a couple of years. But they were still talking via the family text exchange until recently. Regardless of what happens, it’s clear that something odd is going on. Could Michael have gotten a big head and tried to demand more money because he’s a black man associated with a wealthy white family? Could Michael be correct, and the Tuohys are taking him for a ride? Maybe someone got into his head and said he could milk the situation due to the sensitivity surrounding racism. It could be anything.
Sean Tuohy has said that regardless of what happens, they still love Michael.
