Tuohy family paid Michael Oher $138,000 in profits from 'The Blind Side' movie
The Tuohy family filed court documents this week that showed where they paid Michael Oher $138,000 for being part of The Blind Side movie.
In fact, the documents showed that the Tuohys paid Oher the money in 10 installments from 2007 through April of this year. The checks totaled $138,311.01 and countered the claim from Michael Oher, the former Raven who alleged the family never paid him money for his role in the Academy Award-winning movie.
The Tuohys filed the financial statement with a probate court in Shelby County, Tennessee. CNN reported that Randy Fishman, the Tuohy’s attorney, said the couple eventually made the checks to Michael Oher’s son. Fishman said this was after Oher began returning the checks to the family. The final two checks totaling more than $8,000 each have yet to be cashed.
A probate judge ended conservatorship between Tuohys, Michael Oher earlier this fall
In late September, the Associated Press reported that Shelby County Probate Court Judge Kathleen Gomes terminated a conservatorship agreement between Michael Oher and Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. The Tuohys took Oher into their home when he was in high school about 20 years ago. His life story became a best-selling book, which evolved into a blockbuster movie. Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for her portrayal of Leigh Anne. Meanwhile, Oher went on to star for Ole Miss. The Baltimore Ravens then selected him with the 23rd pick of the 2009 NFL Draft.
The Tuohys and Michael Oher reached a conservatorship agreement after Oher turned 18. At the time, he was going through the college football recruiting process, with a number of big-time programs wooing the offensive tackle. The AP reported that the probate judge said she was concerned that there was a conservatorship in place. Typically, these sorts of agreements are granted in the state of Tennessee if someone is disabled or can’t make decisions for themselves.
Movie made the family $432,000 paid through 2021
The documents filed this week show that proceeds from the book and movie were split five ways. Oher received his cut, along with the Tuohys and their two biological children. ESPN reported that the documents included tax returns showing payment of $432,000 paid to the Tuohys from Twentieth Century Fox, Alcon Film Fund and Left Tackle Pictures. The entities made the payments from 2007 through 2021.
The document included a ledger that the family says lists payments they made to Oher. Plus, there are copies of checks and bank statements that show deposits made in the name of Oher’s son.
The Tuohy’s lawyers wrote that the family “never received any money as conservators on behalf of Michael Oher.” Nor did the family have control over money or business dealings on behalf of Oher. The family lawyers also said the Tuohys spent tens of thousands of dollars of their own money to help support Oher while he was in high school and college.