The 2009 Oscar-winning film The Blind Side told the heartwarming story of Michael Oher, an impoverished black football player who was adopted by a wealthy white family before becoming a football star. But it sounds like the story isn’t as happy as once thought.
According to a report from ESPN, Michael Oher is now suing Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy after he learned that the family never actually adopted him. Instead, they tricked him into making them his conservators, which gave them legal authority to make business deals in his name.
The lawsuit also claims the Tuohys used this power to make a deal that paid them and their two children millions of in royalties from the movie while Oher himself received nothing.
“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,” the legal filing says. “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’s pretty shocking news, and it led to plenty of reactions on social media.
Feels good to know The Blind Side is a terrible film https://t.co/rRLqGk3ZZ2
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) August 14, 2023
Those complete frauds now have their basketball facility named after the con artist where they can watch their woman beating coach. On brand https://t.co/MUtTIzpozm pic.twitter.com/s3trPZChvf
— Bryan (@bryan_CTP) August 14, 2023
The white savior trope is always gross. And you ever notice how it's the "god-fearing" and "good Christian" people who pull off these pure evil stunts? Michael Oher deserved better than those devils. https://t.co/5LAzuYzAP3
— Joshua Sánchez (@jnsanchez) August 14, 2023
oh my https://t.co/sSdxWkbLa9
— ¡BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL! (@edsbs) August 14, 2023
Oh they’re WICKED https://t.co/dUF6kfPix1
— Ira (@iramadisonthree) August 14, 2023
That’s evil work! https://t.co/ato041rKPL
— Caroline Renard (@carolinerenard_) August 14, 2023
It’s certainly a shocking revelation.
[ESPN]
