The Blind Side was a much-loved movie starring Sandra Bullock, but fans of the story - and of American Football - have been rocked by a new lawsuit filed by Michael Oher against Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, after claiming that they tricked him into conservatorship and made a fortune from the 2009 movie, while he didn’t receive anything from the box office hit.
Sean has since responded to Michael’s claims, telling The Daily Memphian: "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."
He continued: "We didn’t make any money off the movie. Well, [The Blind Side author] Michael Lewis gave us half of his share. Everybody in the family got an equal share, including Michael. It was about $14,000, each. We were never offered money. We never asked for money. My money is well-documented. You can look up how much I sold my company for. I will say it’s upsetting that people would think I would want to make money off any of my children."
He added that the conservatorship was so that they could help Michael go to college at Ole Miss, and that they will end it if that’s what Michael wants.
Meanwhile, Michael has claimed that he was never adopted by the Tuohys, as the movie claims, and never saw the monetary success of any of his own story while believing that Sean, Leigh Anne and their two children received a $225,000 flat fee and a percentage of the revenue.
The legal filing 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."
It continued: "Since at least August of 2004, Conservators have allowed Michael, specifically, and the public, generally, to believe that Conservators adopted Michael and have used that untruth to gain financial advantages for themselves and the foundations which they own or which they exercise control. All monies made in said manner should in all conscience and equity be disgorged and paid over to the said ward, Michael Oher."