Michael Oher, whose life inspired the Oscar-winning film “The Blind Side,” shocked the world last month after claiming the Tuohy family had lied to him about being adopted and tricked him into a conservatorship.
The Tuohys firmly denied Oher’s allegations in a new legal filing made Thursday in the Shelby County Probate Court, claiming they have “never signed any contract” without Oher’s knowledge since he was legally placed under their care at 18, and that he was paid what was owed to him from his likeness being used in The Blind Side. According to PEOPLE, the Tuohys admit they have called Oher their son “in the colloquial sense and they have never intended that reference to be viewed with legal implication.”
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“There was never an intent to adopt him,” the Tuohys say, denying Oher’s claim that referring to him as a family member had caused “any irreparable harm” to him. “In fact, they have always felt that the Petitioner was like a son and have used that on occasion but not in a legal sense,” they state.
As we previously reported, according to court documents Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy are accused of taking Oher into their home as a high school student under a conservatorship that he was tricked into. According to ESPN, the conservatorship granted them legal authority to make business deals on his behalf. Oher, who is now 37 years old is reportedly asking the court to end the Tuohy family’s conservatorship, stop them from using his name and likeness and provide a full account of the their earnings from using his name. In addition to unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, he is also reportedly seeking a “fair” share of profits.
In more shocking details Oher also claimed he never received any money from the classic movie, “The Blind Side.” The Tuohy family reportedly negotiated a deal that made them and their two north children millions of dollars in royalties from the Oscar winning film.
RELATED: Sandra Bullock Is Reportedly ‘Heartbroken’ Over Michael Oher’s Claims That ‘The Blind Side’ Was Based On A Lie
Growing up Michael faced a challenging upbringing characterized by poverty, homelessness, and an unstable family environment. He thought his life was taking a positive turn when he was taken in by the Tuohy family, who provided him with stability, care, and support. With their help, he excelled in academics and football during his high school years, but according to these new reports that was all apart of their plot. Oher’s athletic prowess and size (he stood at 6’4″ and weighed around 310 pounds) caught the attention of college recruiters. He played college football at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where he became a standout offensive lineman. Oher’s performance on the field earned him numerous awards and accolades.
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