Michael Oher, the former NFL player whose life inspired the hit movie “The Blind Side,” has filed a legal petition claiming that the family who took him in misled him about the nature of their relationship. Oher alleges that the Tuohy family led him to believe that the conservatorship they had over him was like an adoption, only to learn recently that it did not establish any familial ties between them.
Now 37 years old and married with four children, Oher claims that the Tuohys never informed him that they would have “ultimate control” over his contracts. In a petition filed earlier this year, Oher stated that he was unaware that the conservatorship only gave the Tuohys legal control over his affairs and did not create a genuine family relationship.
Furthermore, Oher claims that he never willingly or knowingly signed a contract granting the studio perpetual and unconditional rights to use his name, likeness, voice, appearance, and other characteristics. He insists that nobody explained to him that he was signing away his rights to his own name, image, and life story.
The Tuohys’ lawyer, Steve Farese, has responded to these claims, asserting that the family never had control over Oher’s contracts. “The Tuohys never controlled any of Mr. Oher’s contracts,” Farese stated.
This legal ordeal has prompted the Tuohys to express their intentions to end Oher’s conservatorship after nearly two decades. The Tuohy family gained national attention for their role in helping Oher succeed both academically and athletically. Their story was depicted in the movie “The Blind Side,” which won an Academy Award for Best Picture in 2010.
It remains to be seen how this legal dispute will be resolved and how it will affect the relationship between Oher and the Tuohy family. As the case continues, many fans and followers are left wondering about the true nature of the relationship that inspired one of the most beloved sports movies of all time.