Former NFL star Michael Oher, whose life inspired the Oscar-winning film The Blind Side, has alleged that he was misled by the family that took him into their home.
In court documents obtained by US outlets, Oher claims that Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy placed him under a conservatorship, rather than adopting him.
The petition accuses the Tuohys of enriching themselves at his expense by continuing to “falsely and publicly” represent themselves as his adoptive parents “to the date of the filing of this petition”.
Oher, 37, asks for the conservatorship to be terminated along with requesting a full accounting of the money earned from the use of his name and story, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported.
His story was made into the 2009 film The Blind Side, which starred Quinton Aaron as Oher, Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy, and Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy.
It was nominated for two Academy Awards in 2010: best picture, and best actress for Bullock – which she won.
According to the petition, filed on Monday in Shelby County Probate Court, in Tennessee, Oher discovered the lie about his alleged adoption “to his chagrin and embarrassment” in February 2023.
“The conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys,” it stated.
At no point did the Tuohys inform Michael that they would have ultimate control of all his contracts, and as a result Michael did not understand that if the conservatorship was granted, he was signing away his right to contract for himself
Oher moved in with the Tuohys just before his senior year of high school – depicted in the film – and says he was told to call them “Mom” and “Dad”.
He also alleges the Tuohys made him sign paperwork almost immediately after he moved in as part of the adoption process.
In his petition he says he was “falsely advised” that it would be called a conservatorship because he was already 18 but the intent was adoption.
“At no point did the Tuohys inform Michael that they would have ultimate control of all his contracts, and as a result Michael did not understand that if the conservatorship was granted, he was signing away his right to contract for himself,” AP reported, per the petition.
Mr Tuohy has reportedly stated that he and his wife are “devastated” by the claims and would end the conservatorship if that is what Oher wants.
