Wat-Not Staff
Michael Oher, the former NFL star whose life inspired the film *The Blind Side*, has clarified the motivations behind his recent lawsuit against Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. In a recent interview with The New York Times Magazine, Oher emphasized that his legal action is not financially motivated, despite the high-profile nature of his case. Oher, who alleges that the Tuohys misrepresented their adoption of him and profited off his name, stated that he is financially secure and that his lawsuit aims to address deeper issues related to his portrayal and treatment.
Oher Sets the Record Straight: Lawsuit Isn’t About Money
Most recently while talking to The New York Times Magazine, Michael Oher has been dispelling the myths of this lawsuit being somehow all about the money with Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. Oher, whose life story inspired the film *The Blind Side*, claimed that he is, personally, a man of significant personal wealth. “For that moment, for when I was done playing, and saved my money, I was able to enjoy the time,” he told them. “I’ve got millions of dollars. I’m fine.” This statement has the effect of refuting any suggestion that the lawsuit is motivated by a desire for financial gain, as opposed to perceived issues of exploitation and misrepresentation of the plaintiff’s story.
Oher’s lawsuit to dissolve the conservatorship of him by the Tuohys stemmed from allegations that the Tuohys mislead the public in their adoption of Oher solely for personal gain. He maintains that, despite his secure financial position, he felt it necessary to sue based on the alleged deceit and misrepresentation of his life story.
Legal controversy over the The Blind Side
The dispute has shed public light on these simmering issues surrounding the representation and the business deals associated with *The Blind Side*. At the time, as legal records indicate, there was an understanding to share profits equally among the books and movie on Michael Oher. The former claims he did not get it this way and that he was falsely represented both in the movie and the book, the latter ending up badly and costing him his professional and public image.
One of the matters Oher was unhappy with was the way the movie, which further reduced him to dummy status, impacted his reputation in the NFL draft. Well pleaded, amongst his other claims, he stated the image, in reference to the legal limitations the conservatorship legally put in place, combined to work against him and created a public sense that his own capability was not to be believed. Such continuing court action is quite representative of the broader issues of fairness and representation in personal narratives.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings