The Blind Side Was Based On A Real Story, But The Truth Is Much Darker

The life story of football player Michael Oher was given the movie treatment in 2009 with The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock. But Oher has since decided that it was time to give his own version of events. Here, then, is the nitty-gritty truth behind the NFL star's inspiring climb — without the retouching by Hollywood screenwriters.

The true story

The Blind Side was a tremendous success commercially, bringing in over $300 million. It was also a hit with the critics and the powers that be in Tinseltown. Sandra Bullock was the star, and she received a Golden Globe and an Oscar for her portrayal of Oher’s adoptive mother, Leigh Anne Tuohy. Michael Oher became a household name, too.

Print the legend

The film was adapted from the parts of the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game that followed the life of Michael Oher from homelessness to adoption and then to football stardom. His character arc was undoubtedly the stuff of dreams for LA executives on the lookout for their next feel-good motion picture. And it’s not too hard to see why the film did so well.

A different view

But when a film is made based on the lives of actual people, there are always going to be different — and often conflicting — opinions about what actually happened and how events were portrayed. Quinton Aaron was the actor chosen to portray Michael Oher, and he admittedly had big shoes to fill. This was only the start of the problem, though.

Oher wasn’t happy

Because although Oher’s story was ripe for adaptation, it would seem that Oher himself hasn’t been too happy with the movie’s representation of his life. In fact, the NFL star thought the movie hampered the perception of his sporting abilities — and had a negative impact on his career.