(USNewsMag.com) – Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy have been accused of deception by Michael Oher, the former NFL player who inspired the movie “The Blind Side,” for being appointed his conservators instead of his adoptive parents almost two decades ago. He believed the Tuohys had adopted him.
In a Tennessee court on Monday, he requested the termination of the conservatorship and a comprehensive financial report on the use of his name and story. He is requesting compensation for both the principal and interest.
He accuses the Tuohys of making money off of him by representing themselves as his adoptive parents. It was in February 2023 that Oher came to the realization that the conservatorship he accepted didn’t make him a part of their family.
Michael Lewis wrote The Blind Side, a book about his life story, which was later adapted into a movie with the same title. Sandra Bullock won the Academy Award for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy, and the film received an Oscar nomination. The Tuohy family has collected around $700,000 in total payouts from the film. Oher has never been fond of the movie.
An email sent through Leigh Anne Tuohy’s personal website went unanswered, and Sean Tuohy noted they would terminate the conservatorship if that was Oher’s desire. Tuohy discovered Oher’s allegations when a friend sent him an article.
Oher claims the Tuohys never attempted to gain custody. Before his senior year of high school, he was instructed to refer to the Tuohys as “Mom” and “Dad” upon moving in with them.
Oher claims that he was required to sign paperwork after he started living with the Tuohys as a part of the adoption procedure. He thought he had been legally adopted by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. They never let Michael know they would have control over his contracts.
The recent high-profile battle over Britney Spears has brought attention to the efforts of advocates across the United States, who are raising questions about whether conservatorships result in more harm than protection.
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