Michael Oher, the NFL player and subject of the Oscar-nominated film The Blind Side, has recently addressed his controversial lawsuit against the Tuohy family.
Upon its release in 2009, The Blind Side swiftly earned a spot on the list of top sports films. The story of a gifted football player who finds a new home with a wealthy white family resonated with audiences worldwide and continues to be a popular choice on Netflix.
Despite the success of their award-winning and popular streaming service, the individuals at the center of the story faced controversy in 2023. It was discovered that Oher had filed a lawsuit against the Tuohys, claiming that they had deceived him into signing a conservatorship agreement.
According to his statement, the conservatorship enabled his family to conduct business on his behalf and generate millions in royalties from The Blind Side.
In September 2023, a judge terminated the agreement and nearly a year later, Oher has finally addressed the lawsuit and his negative response to the film.
During an interview with The New York Times Magazine, Oher recounted his upbringing with the Tuohy family, recalling, “The first time I was told ‘I love you’ was by Sean and Leigh Anne [Tuohy].”
At the age of 18, vulnerability sets in and your guard is lowered, leaving you exposed. Then, everything is taken away from you, resulting in feelings of hurt.
Initially, Oher describes his experience of moving in with the Tuohys and becoming a part of their family as positive. He had a comfortable bed to sleep on and was well-fed. Additionally, they even provided him with a truck.
Despite Oher’s growing NFL career, the release of The Blind Side happened at the same time. Oher has expressed negative feelings about this coincidence, stating: “That’s what breaks my heart… it was right when I arrived, I was labeled.”
Oher chose not to attend the 2009 premiere of the movie, and instead waited about a month to watch it. Reflecting on his first viewing, Oher admitted, “It’s difficult to explain my initial response. It almost felt like a comedy about someone else, which struck me as humorous. I didn’t fully comprehend it.”
Oher has previously addressed The Blind Side and its depiction of him, asserting that the movie’s greatest offense is its portrayal of his intelligence. The film portrays him as having difficulties with reading and writing, which he fears has translated into his real life.
He shared, “The NFL officials were questioning my ability to understand a playbook.”He began to notice that people were labeling him as unintelligent and incompetent. Every article that mentioned him also mentioned The Blind Side, as if it defined him. He worried about how his children’s teachers would perceive them if they struggled in school, wondering, “Will they think their dad is stupid and that’s why they’re not grasping the material?”
Oher explained the reason for not filing the lawsuit earlier, stating, “Being a professional football player is a demanding job that requires complete dedication. I chose to go along with their version of events because my priority was my NFL career, not anything off the field.”
“He expressed his desire to revert back to his pre-The Blind Side personality and acknowledged that he is still in the process of achieving it.”
To discover more, browse through the selection of new true crime and documentaries available to watch this month. You can also delve into the actual deaths depicted in The Iron Claw and uncover the true events portrayed in Swamp Kings.
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