Claims of Tuohy Family Paying Michael Oher Over $138,000 for 'The Blind Side' Resurface
The Tuohy family's alleged payment of over $138,000 to Michael Oher for 'The Blind Side' contradicts his previous claims, raising questions about the true motives behind their support
Sean Tuohy and Leigh Anne Tuohy. Dimitrios Kambouris/VF1/WireImage
Court documents filed by the Tuohy family have unveiled that Michael Oher received a payment of over $138,000 for his role in The Blind Side, contradicting his previous statements of receiving no compensation from the film. The payment was made by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy in 10 installments starting in 2007, as stated in the court documents filed on November 8 and obtained by People. The last installment, amounting to $8,480.10, was paid in April of this year.
The paperwork stated that after deducting a 10 percent commission, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy gave one-third of the remaining amount to Michael Oher. The checks for 2021 and 2022 have not been processed by the Tuohys' bank. Based on his allegations in the lawsuit filed in August, Oher argued that he was never legally adopted by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. Instead, he claimed that they forced him into a conservatorship in 2004, which gave them control over his finances. Oher stated that he agreed to the conservatorship with the understanding that he would be considered a member of the Tuohy family, but in reality, he did not have any familial relationship with them.
The film presented Sean and Leigh Anne, aged 63, as compassionate adoptive parents who welcomed Oher into their family when he faced difficulties in foster care placements. It achieved tremendous success, grossing over $300 million and earning Sandra Bullock an Oscar for her portrayal of Leigh Anne.
Michael Oher filed a lawsuit alleging that the Tuohy family had negotiated a contract on his behalf concerning the profits from the movie adaptation, which was inspired by Michael Lewis' book with the identical title.
The suit alleged that the co-conservators failed to provide Oher with any written proof of their earnings from the movie. They claimed that he was kept uninformed and had to rely on verbal assurances. Oher, who is currently 37 years old, wanted to end the guardianship and receive a portion of the alleged profits made by the Tuohy family from the film. In response, his legal team has issued subpoenas to obtain all relevant documents and communication regarding the movie's contracts and payments.
Oher expressed his disappointment at the recent revelation shared in the lawsuit, stating that it has put his family and himself in a difficult situation. He requested that everyone respect their privacy during this time and mentioned that he would refrain from making any further comments, allowing the lawsuit to speak for itself. In contrast, Sean and Leigh Anne refuted Oher's claims and accused him of threatening to spread negative stories about them in the media unless they paid him $15 million.
Judge Kathleen Gomes expressed disbelief that the 20-year conservatorship was ever established when she ruled to terminate it in September.
