The Blind Side is a heartwarming sports drama inspired by the real-life story of football player Michael Oher. The film highlights themes of empathy, determination, and family support.
Released in 2009, the film tells the journey of a compassionate white family who lives in Memphis, Tennessee. The parents endeavor to transform the life of an unsheltered Black 17-year-old named “Big Mike,” who attends the local school with their son.
The movie earned over $300 million at the box office and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. The lead actress Sandra Bullock secured the Best Actress award for portraying the family matriarch Leigh Anne Tuohy.
However, Oher, a former NFL player, has stated — that a white family adopted him out of homelessness is a lie. He said that the family exploited his name and story for years to enrich themselves. Oher says he believed he was a legal member of the Tuohy family for nearly two decades, but in reality, he was not.
Sandra Bullock is Heartbroken After Finding That Her Oscar-Winning Role Wasn’t True
Sandra Bullock is “heartbroken” after discovering that her Oscar-winning role in The Blind Side might not have been entirely based on a true story. A source close to Bullock told the Daily Mail that:
“The actress hates that such a wonderful story, a spectacular movie, and a spectacular time in her life now has been tainted.”
Michael Oher alleges that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy never legally adopted him (in a 14-page petition filed in Tennessee’s Shelby County). Instead, the petition claims they tricked him into a conservatorship shortly after he turned 18, granting them authority over his name in business dealings.
Oher asserts that the family profited from the popular book and 2009 blockbuster film. He seeks to terminate the conservatorship by preventing the family from using his name and requesting an accounting of their earnings since 2004 (to receive his rightful share and damages).
Sandra Bullock Faces Emotional Dual Blow
Sandra Bullock was already devastated by the loss of her partner, Bryan Randall, after a three-year battle with ALS. And now the news of Oher fueled the fire on her emotions. The sources said:
“Sandra is putting up a strong face and a strong front as it has been a rough patch for her emotionally with the loss of Bryan, and now she is heartbroken in a different way with all the fallout from the Michael Oher news.”
The Lost City actress is figuring out how to move forward from what has happened. Although it will take some time, she looks forward to better days ahead.
Fans are already supporting Bullock after some asked her to return her Best Actress Oscar due to the controversy. However, according to a source, the star remains unfazed by the trolls and is focusing on more important matters.
Source: New York Post
