In a recent controversy involving former NFL player Michael Oher and the Tuohy family, Michael Lewis, the author of the book that inspired the movie "The Blind Side," has placed blame on Hollywood. Lewis stated that despite the movie's success, those involved in the book did not see any profits, with only Hollywood benefiting. He suggests that Oher should join the writers' strike in protest.
Lewis wrote "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" after hearing the story directly from Sean Tuohy, a childhood friend who acted as Oher's adoptive father. The film rights were sold to 20th Century Fox for $250,000, which was evenly split between Lewis, the Tuohys, and Oher.
Lewis believes that Oher received some profit from the movie, although he claims that Oher stopped accepting royalty checks. He also mentioned that the movie's profits were not substantial, with both himself and the Tuohy family receiving around $350,000 each.
Lewis expressed sadness over Oher's accusations, stating that he had witnessed firsthand the resources and love that the Tuohys showered upon him. He finds it astonishing that Oher would be suspicious of them. Oher, on the other hand, filed a petition alleging that the Tuohys had tricked him into signing papers, preventing him from profiting from the book and movie based on his life. He is now seeking financial compensation from the Tuohys.
The Tuohys, through their attorney, have responded to Oher's allegations, claiming that he threatened them with negative publicity unless they paid him $15 million. They view Oher's lawsuit as a shakedown and intend to defend their reputation against it.
"The Blind Side" tells the story of Oher, a teenager in the foster care system, and the Tuohy family who took him in and supported him in his football career. Oher played for a private high school and went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens. However, he now claims that the story depicted in the book and movie was a lie.