One year after filing a lawsuit against Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy that resulted in the termination of his conservatorship, Michael Oher, the football star whose life inspired Sandra Bullocks’ hit film The Blind Side, speaks out about the legal situation.
While speaking to The New York Times Magazine, Oher explained why he felt the Tuohys deceived him. “the first time I heard ‘I love you,’ it was Sean and Leigh Anne [Tuohy] saying it,” he explained. “When that happens at 18, you become vulnerable. you let your guard down and then you get everything stripped from you. It turns into a hurt feeling.”
Oher then pointed out that while he didn’t want to make the situation about race, he noted the word “love” has a different meaning for different races. “What I found out was that nobody says ‘I love you’ more than coaches and white people. Black people say it, they mean it.”
Despite the lawsuit and everything that has happened, Michael Oher expressed fond feelings about the comfort and care the Tuohys provided him. “Honestly, it was great,” he said I had a bed to stay on. I was eating good. They got me a truck.”
However, even he will admit that The Blind Side fame gave him a new and very public identity that did not accurately reflect he was as both an athlete and person. He pointed out that while he was focusing on football, the Tuohys were working on the film using their own “narrative.”
Oher stated their take about him came off “inaccurate.”
Michael Oher Admits to Struggling With ‘The Blind Side’ Fame While Starting His NFL Career
As the film was premiering in theaters, Michael Oher was starting his NFL career. The experience was hard on him. “That’s my heartbreak right here… “ he explained. “It was as soon as I got there, I was defined.”
Although he didn’t attend The Blind Side premiere, Oher watched the film one month later. What he saw wasn’t what he was expecting. “It’s hard to describe my reaction. It seemed kind of funny to me, to tell you the truth, like it was a comedy about someone else,” he recalled. “It didn’t register.”
Oher noted the key difference between the film’s character and his real life was the underplaying of his intelligence. “The NFL people were wondering if I could read a playbook,” he stated. “I started seeing stuff that I’m dumb. I’m stupid. Every article about me mentioned The Blind Side, like it was part of my name.”
Through his lawsuit, Michael Oher stated that Sean, Leigh Anne Tuohy, and their two children “collectively received millions of dollars” for The Blind Side. He received nothing for his rights. “I worked hard for that moment when I was done playing, and saved my money so I could enjoy the time,” he declared. He went on to add that he is “fine” and currently has “millions of dollars.”
“I want to be the person I was before The Blind Side, personality-wise,” he concluded. “I’m still working on it.”