The family who famously took in former NFL star Michael Oher, inspiring the Oscar-nominated film "The Blind Side," is facing criticism after a clip from their appearance on the reality TV show "Below Deck" resurfaced.
Critics argue that the clip raises a significant "red flag" in light of Oher's recent lawsuit, in which he alleges that the Tuohys never officially adopted him and deceived him out of millions of dollars earned from his life story.
The episode of "Below Deck," which aired in 2017, has gained viral attention following Oher's bombshell lawsuit. People magazine reporter Abigail Adams shared a clip from the episode on TikTok, in which Sean Tuohy discusses how he negotiated with Steven Spielberg and Harvey Weinstein for the rights to their story and even had script approval. Adams sarcastically remarks that the episode was appropriately titled "Blindsided."
Adams highlights Sean Tuohy's response to a question from Captain Lee about how "The Blind Side" came about. In the clip, Sean reveals that he received calls from Spielberg and Weinstein, ultimately granting them the rights to use the Tuohy family name in exchange for script approval. Months later, the family received the script in the mail.
Oher filed a lawsuit in Shelby County, Tennessee, alleging that the Tuohys manipulated him into making them his conservators instead of his adoptive parents nearly two decades ago. The former Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl winner claims that the conservatorship allowed the couple to maintain legal control over him while they profited from "The Blind Side," which grossed $300 million at the box office. Oher received no compensation from the film or the novel that inspired it.
Sean Tuohy argues that because Oher was 18 at the time his family wanted to take him in, they were unable to legally adopt him and had to establish a conservatorship instead. However, court documents state that the Tuohys deceived Oher into signing over the rights to use his name in business deals after he turned 18. Oher alleges that the couple used the conservatorship to earn millions in royalties from the film.
According to the legal filing, the alleged lie of Oher's adoption has allowed the Tuohys to enrich themselves at his expense. Sean Tuohy maintains that the conservatorship was established to ensure Oher's eligibility to play football at the University of Mississippi.
Oher is seeking to terminate the conservatorship and obtain an injunction preventing the Tuohys from using his name and likeness. He also demands an accounting of the money they have earned from his name, a fair share of the profits, and punitive damages.
The Tuohys have denied keeping the conservatorship a secret from Oher and claim to be "devastated" by his allegations. They have even alleged that Oher demanded $15 million from them and threatened to go public, according to TMZ.
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