The author of The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game has responded to Michael Oher’s claims that the Tuohy family has withheld money from him.
Lewis claims Hollywood is to blame at the end of the day
Michael Lewis — who wrote the 2006 book that served as the basis for the hit 2009 film — spoke to The Washington Post about the ongoing lawsuit between Oher and the Tuohy family. Lewis said that everybody, including Oher and the Tuohy family, should be mad at Hollywood for their accounting. He states that both he and the Tuohy family were paid very little for the film.
“Everybody should be mad at the Hollywood studio system,” Lewis said. “Michael Oher should join the writers strike. It’s outrageous how Hollywood accounting works, but the money is not in the Tuohys’ pockets.”
According to Lewis, he was paid $250,000 for the rights to a The Blind Side film by 20th Century Studios, which he says he split 50-50 with the Tuohy family. Lewis also said that he and the actors in the film were offered a share of the movie’s net profits, and that when taxes and other fees were sorted out, he and the Tuohy family each received $350,000 total from the film.
Speaking about Oher’s claims that he wasn’t compensated for the movie, Lewis said that isn’t true, and instead suggests that Oher declined payments from the Tuohy family. He also claims the Tuohy’s had begun putting the money in a trust fund for his son.
“Lewis said the Tuohys planned to share the royalties among the family members, including Oher, but Oher began declining his royalty checks, Lewis said,” read the excerpt from The Washington Post. “Lewis said he believed the Tuohy family had deposited Oher’s share in a trust fund for Oher’s son.”
What is The Blind Side lawsuit about?
In Oher’s lawsuit, he claims that the Tuohy’s never actually adopted Oher but instead signed him into a conservatorship and have profited off of him for years. The lawsuit also alleges that Oher has not made any money off of the success of The Blind Side, which made over $300 million at the box office.
Oher’s petition asks the court to end the Tuohys’ conservatorship, and issue an injunction that bars the family from using his name and likeness. It also seeks to give Oher a full accounting of the money the family made while using his name. Oher is also seeking to be paid back the fair share of profits from the film, as well as other unspecified damages.
While the Tuohy family hasn’t addressed the claims, an attorney speaking for them has said they are untrue.
