Michael Oher Received $138K For 'The Blind Side' Despite Claims He Got Nothing

Amid the legal dispute between former NFL player Michael Oher and the Tuohy family, a new accounting reveals that Oher received $138,000 in proceeds from the film "The Blind Side," which was based on his real-life story.

As we reported, Oher previously claimed that he never received any money from the Tuohys for the Academy Award-winning movie and sued the family, requesting a termination of a conservatorship they had over him. He accused them of using his name for financial benefit.

Former football star Oher reportedly received money from the Sandra Bullock-led film, "The Blind Side," which was inspired by his story.

As seen in a new accounting filed in Oher's lawsuit against the Tuohys, the 37-year-old was paid the total sum of $138k for the movie.

According to legal documents obtained by The Blast, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, along with Oher and their two children, agreed to split the money five ways.

This revelation contrasts Oher's previous statements, where he claimed that he was not paid any money from "The Blind Side" while unknowingly under a conservatorship.

The Tuohys say they have never received any money as conservators on behalf of Oher and "further never had control over any funds or any dealings on behalf of Mr. Oher during the entire term of the conservatorship."

They also claim that they spent "tens of thousands of dollars of their own money to support Mr. Oher during his high school and college years."

In his legal petition filed in August, Oher claimed that the Tuohys, whom he believed for the longest time were his adoptive parents, only used him to make money.

"The lie of Michael's adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher," the petition stated, per ESPN. 

"Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys," it continued.

The legal filing sought to end the Tuohys' conservatorship over Oher and to stop any unauthorized use of his name and identity. In September, a month after his filing, a Tennessee judge signed an order ending Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy’s conservatorship over Oher.

In their response to Oher's petition, the Tuohys “vehemently denied” his claims that they “enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward [Oher].” According to CNN, they also noted that "they have always acted in the best interest" of the former NFL star.

As previously reported, the Tuohys denied all of Oher's claims, calling them "hurtful" and "absurd."

Their attorney, Martin Singer, said in a statement to Fox News, "Through hard work and good fortune, Sean and Leigh Anne have made an extraordinary amount of money in the restaurant business."

Singer continued, "The notion that a couple worth hundreds of millions of dollars would connive to withhold a few thousand dollars in profit participation payments from anyone – let alone from someone they loved as a son – defies belief."

The attorney also slammed Oher's claims about money with regards to "The Blind Side" film, saying, "When Michael Lewis, a friend of Sean’s since childhood, was approached about turning his book on Mr. Oher and the Tuohys into a movie about their family, his agents negotiated a deal where they received a small advance from the production company and a tiny percentage of net profits."

"They insisted that any money received be divided equally. And they have made good on that pledge," Singer added.

"The Blind Side" movie was a major box office success, making as much as $309.2 million on a budget of $22 million. It also earned Sandra Bullock the Oscar Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.