Michael Oher Lawsuit & "The Blind Side" Controversy, Explained

Fourteen years after the release of The Blind Side and former NFL offensive tackle Michael Oher shed light on the reality surrounding his story. Oher emerged with a bombshell lawsuit this week, accusing the Tuohy family of exploitation. In a lawsuit filed to a Tennessee court, Oher claims that the Tuohy family never actually adopted him and only took him in for their own personal benefit. The lawsuit aims to end the conservatorship agreement that Oher signed. He also alleged that he didn’t earn a penny from royalties. 

Although The Blind Side earned Sandra Bullock an Oscar nomination, the film didn’t go without its fair share of controversy. Many accused the film of portraying the “white savior” narrative, suggesting Oher wouldn’t have been able to succeed had it not been for the generosity of the Tuohy family. Oher’s previously aired out his issues with his portrayal in the film. Now, the depiction is now at the center of his new lawsuit. Below, we’ve broken down Michael Oher’s claims against the Truoy family, their response, and the controversy surrounding The Blind Side. 

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The Blind Side portrays Michael Oher as a homeless, disadvantaged youth who the Tuohy family took into their home. The film documented his phenomenal rise to entering the NFL, which undoubtedly won the hearts and minds of viewers. His inspiring story followed his ascent to all-American left tackle and the hefty sum he received during his NFL career. 

Oher was the first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens, later helping the team with the Super Bowl in 2013. The following year, he signed a $20 million multi-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. He, unfortunately, suffered an injury that resulted in the Titans letting him go. However, he began playing for the Carolina Panthers until 2017. Throughout his career, it’s estimated that he earned upwards of $34 million. 

The 2009 film gained significant esteem and success at the box office to the tune of $300 million. Not to mention, it received a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards while Sandra Bullock, who played Leigh Anne Tuohy, won the Oscar for Best Actress. However, the film faced much criticism over the years for perpetuating the white savior trope. 

Even though Oher’s praised the film for its portrayal of the Truoy family, he also took issue with the depiction of his character. In his memoir, I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness To The Blind Side And Beyond, he said that it misrepresented his character, specifically diminishing his own agency and resilience. He explained that The Blind Side showed him as a “dumb” kid rather than a child “who had never had consistent academic instruction.” Additionally, the film misrepresented him as a young child with no knowledge of football until the Tuohy's took him in.

“People look at me, and they take things away from me because of a movie,” Oher told ESPN in 2015. “They don’t really see the skills and the kind of player I am. That’s why I get downgraded so much, because of something off the field ... That’s why I don’t like that movie.’’

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Earlier this week, Michael Oher filed a lawsuit against the Tuohy family in Tennessee Shelby County, per ESPN. In the suit, he alleges that the family exploited his story and used his likeness for their own financial gain. Oher believes the family made millions from the book and movie based on his life. Meanwhile, he claims he's yet to see a single penny from royalties. 

Oher claims that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy deceived him into signing a conservatorship rather than becoming his actual adoptive parents. Sean Tuohy explained that they wanted to take Oher in when he was 18 but they had to enter a conservatorship contract to officially make him part of their family. Oher said that he only found out recently that he wasn’t actually adopted officially, accusing the family of lying to him over the years. Now, he’s asking for a full accounting of the money earned from his name and likeness. The petition claims the Tuohy’s and their kids, who are now adults, earned $225,000 each from the film, along with 2.5% of the movie’s defined net proceeds.

“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," the petition to end the conservatorship stated.

The conservatorship that Oher unknowingly entered into plays a central role in the lawsuit. Conservatorships are legal arrangements that grant decision-making powers to others, usually for individuals with diminished capacity due to health concerns. Oher alleges that the family tricked him into a conservatorship after turning 18, which allowed the Tuohy family to control his financial affairs and exploit his name and story for their own gain.

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In response to the lawsuit, the Tuohy family denied that they solely took Oher into their family for financial gain. Speaking to the Daily Memphian, Sean Tuohy said the family was “devastated” by the claims. “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,” Sean said. 

However, Sean denied that he or the family made any money from The Blind Side. We didn’t make any money off the movie,” he said. "We were never offered money; we never asked for money.” He added that the author of the book The Blind Side, Michael Lewis, provided the family including Oher, half of his share. He said that amounted to $14,000 each. 

Furthermore, Sean also explained that he only entered the conservatorship for Oher’s benefit. He explained that it allowed them to help him gain medical benefits and secured Oher’s eligibility for college football. “It’s hard because you have to defend yourself, but whatever he wants, we’ll do. We’re not in this for anything other than whatever he wants," Tuohy continued. "If he’d have said, 'I don’t want to be part of the family anymore,' we’d have been very upset, but we absolutely would have done it."

In an official response to the lawsuit, Marty Singer, the legal representative of the Tuohy family, told TMZ that Oher’s previously approached them with similar legal threats in the past. The 14-page filing alleges that Oher’s previously demanded $15 million from the Tuohy and threatened to “plant a negative story about them in the press” if they didn’t cough up the money. 

“[The conservatorship] was established to assist with Mr. Oher’s needs, ranging from getting him health insurance and obtaining a driver’s license to helping with college admissions," Singer said. "Should Mr. Oher wish to terminate the conservatorship, either now or at anytime in the future, the Tuohys will never oppose it in any way."

At this point, it’s too early to determine what may happen next, especially after Singer’s recent petition. The Tuohy’s said that they are willing to terminate the conservatorship at any point, which could seemingly resolve one aspect of the lawsuit. However, when it comes to the accounting and the numbers attached to the success of The Blind Side, it might become an upward battle for both parties.