Michael Oher’s Foster Brothers Claim Blind Side Movie Depicts “Something That Didn’t Occur”

In the midst of the legal dispute involving Michael Oher and the Tuohy family concerning the earnings generated by the film “The Blind Side,” a recently released documentary gives viewers an intimate glimpse into the former NFL player’s life.

In the CNN FlashDoc titled “Blindsided,” which made its debut on Thursday, individuals from Oher’s earlier years came forward to address the numerous misunderstandings surrounding his upbringing and the narrative that inspired the Oscar-nominated film. Nate and Quwanda Hale, Oher’s foster brothers, shared their personal experiences and attested to the true nature of Oher’s home life. They expressed their gratitude for a foster mother who “provided for us” prior to Oher joining the Tuohy family.

In “The Blind Side,” there is a scene where Oher tells Leigh Anne Tuohy that he has never had a bed to himself before. However, the Hale brothers contradicted this statement, asserting that “that video is depicting something that didn’t occur.” Additionally, they stated that a stipulation of the foster system mandates that every child must “have their own space.”

Nate also emphasized that Oher was seldom unhappy, contrary to how he was depicted in the movie. He mentioned that there was a strong sense of resilience among the foster brothers, and they carried a forward-looking attitude filled with hope. Both Hale brothers shared that Oher had always expressed his desire to pursue a career in football, making it clear that he wanted the sport to be his future.

In August 2023, Oher initiated a legal action against the Tuohys, claiming that they had not formally adopted him. Instead, he alleged that his supposed “new parents” had established a conservatorship that granted them legal authority to engage in business transactions on his behalf. This arrangement allegedly allowed them to amass substantial profits from the success of “The Blind Side,” while Oher received no compensation. In response, the Tuohys claimed that Oher had threatened to make his claims public unless they paid him $15 million.