Michael Oher Opens Up About Lawsuit Against Tuohy Family and Impact of ‘The Blind Side

Michael Oher, the former NFL star whose life story inspired the 2009 film The Blind Side, has spoken out for the first time since filing a lawsuit against Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy.

The lawsuit, which was filed over a year ago, led to the termination of Oher’s conservatorship and included allegations that the Tuohy family exploited his likeness to make millions.

In a recent interview with The New York Times Magazine published on August 18, 2024, Oher reflected on his time living with the Tuohy family, revealing his feelings of betrayal and how the experience, as depicted in the film, has affected his life.

“The first time I heard ‘I love you,’ it was Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy saying it. When that happens at 18, you become vulnerable,” Oher shared. “You let your guard down and then you get everything stripped from you. It turns into a hurt feeling.”

Oher, now 38, emphasized that while he still holds fond memories of the comfort and care the Tuohys provided, he feels misrepresented by the narrative they helped create through the film.

He recalled how the Tuohys bought him clothes, set him up with a tutor, and provided him with a stable home environment. “Honestly, it was great,” he said of his time with the family. “I had a bed to stay on. I was eating good. They got me a truck.”

However, Oher expressed frustration with how The Blind Side presented his story, creating a public identity that he believes was inaccurate and overshadowed his achievements as an athlete.

“That’s my heartbreak right there,” Oher said. “It was as soon as I got to the NFL, I was defined.”

He further explained how the film’s portrayal led to a perception of him as “dumb” or “stupid,” a label that still concerns him, especially regarding his children. “If my kids can’t do something in class, will their teacher think, ‘Their dad is dumb — is that why they’re not getting it?’” he questioned.

Oher also addressed why he waited until  August 2023 to file the lawsuit. “Pro football’s a hard job. You have to be locked in 100 percent,” he said. He felt that focusing on his NFL career left him no time to address the issues surrounding the film and his conservatorship.

For a long time, Oher admitted to being “so angry mentally” about the situation. Now, he says, his goal is to rediscover the person he was before The Blind Side. “I want to be the person I was before The Blind Side, personality-wise,” he said. “I’m still working on it.”