The Tuohy family, known for their portrayal in the 2009 film “The Blind Side,” has recently faced scrutiny as an old clip of their appearance on a TV show resurfaced online, adding to the ongoing controversy surrounding the movie’s narrative.
“The Blind Side,” a movie centered around the life of NFL player Michael Oher and his adoption by the Tuohy family, has come under renewed scrutiny as Oher claimed that the Tuohy family had never officially adopted him and had profited from his life story without his consent.
In the resurfaced clip from their appearance on Bravo’s “Below Deck” in 2017, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy were discussing the origins of “The Blind Side” movie. This clip caught the attention of Abigail Adams, a TikTok user (@itsabigailadams), who highlighted the episode’s connection to the ongoing controversy.
In her video, Abigail shared her thoughts: “So with the whole Blind Side drama going on right now, am I the only person that can’t stop thinking about this episode from Below Deck? Because if the movie wasn’t a red flag already this was an even bigger one in my opinion. Naturally the episode is called ‘Blindsided’.”
Abigail emphasized Sean Tuohy’s response to a question from Captain Lee about how “The Blind Side” came about. The video then transitions to the clip in question, where Sean recounts his negotiation with Steven Spielberg and Harvey Weinstein for the rights to the movie. He explained, “So I get a call from Steven Spielberg, Harvey Weinstein. I had to give them the rights to use our name. And I said, I give you the right to use the name if I get to read the script and then approve it or unapprove it. And so sure enough, seven months later, we get an envelope in the mail and it’s a script of the movie.”
@itsabigailadams its been on my mind ALL DAY #belowdeck #belowdeckbravo #bravo #theblindside #greenscreen
Michael Oher, the central figure of “The Blind Side,” has filed a lawsuit in Shelby County, Tennessee, alleging that the Tuohy family manipulated him into making them his conservators instead of his adoptive parents two decades ago. He claims that this conservatorship granted them legal power over him, which included making substantial profits from “The Blind Side,” a movie that grossed $300 million at the box office. Oher alleges that he received nothing from this financial success.
In response to these allegations, Sean Tuohy expressed the family’s readiness to comply with Oher’s wishes, even if it means ending their conservatorship over him. He emphasized their love and support for Oher, stating, “We’re devastated. It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children. But we’re going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16.”
As the debate continues over Oher’s claims and the family’s involvement, the resurfaced clip from their TV show appearance adds another layer to the ongoing conversation about the accuracy and ethics of “The Blind Side” narrative.
