The Blind Side became a huge hit in no time when it was released in 2009. The movie was well-loved by critics and viewers alike –it even earned an Academy Award nomination for the Best Film category! However, it seems like not everything was smooth-sailing behind the scenes. Apparently, Michael Oher claims that his life was different from what the filmmakers portrayed in the movie and he was surprised by all the changes they made! A film set is already a tense environment so something like this was definitely going to be a recipe for drama. Let’s go and find out what actually happened!
Michael “Big Mike” Oher Reveals The Truth Behind The Hit Movie ‘The Blind Side’
Not Satisfied
There is no denying that The Blind Side was a huge it. Audiences enjoyed it and critics received it well. The film also racked up various awards and nominations. Sadly, there was one person who was not satisfied by it – the man whose story was being told. It seems like Michael Oher could not stand the film! True enough, Quinton Aaron deftly portrayed him, and Sandra Bullock’s acting skills were beyond compare. However, Oher could not help but feel that it had been a bad representation of what he went through and he even claimed the movie only did more damage to him.
Not Satisfied
Not Who He Is
If you hang out with Michael Oher and watch the film, you will quickly understand why he was not happy with the way Quinton Aaron depicted him in the film. This is not to say that Aaron’s performance was terrible, just that it was not faithful to who Big Mike is. Among other things, the movie portrayed Michael Oher as a reserved, serious, and even uptight guy who likes to keep to himself. In reality, Michael Oher is actually the opposite. It is true he did everything to become the best at the sport, though he was always full of smiles and laughter. He was not a guy who took himself too seriously.
Not Who He Is
His Life Before The Tuohy Family Came Into The Picture
The film did not hide the tumultuous past Michael Oher has and the film even said outright that he was homeless without any real family. However, the film only told a neat and simplified version divided into digestible chunks due to the limitations of the format. After all, the movie had to cover a lot of things in such a short period of time. Michael Oher indeed had a tough life with a neglectful and alcoholic mother and a father in prison who was eventually murdered there. Things are even worse when you consider he came from a large family with 12 children, none of whom received love and support while growing up.
His Life Before The Tuohy Family Came Into The Picture
When The Tuohy Family Met Michael Oher
In the movie, the Tuohy family finds Michael Oher to be a storm-battered young man left out in the pouring rain. The writers had us believe that this was the way the relationship began and that they immediately had Oher move in with them to start a new life. Things were a little different in real life, however, and while they did encounter him at the side of the road, the Tuohy family did not take him in right away. It took them some time and Leigh Anne Tuohy first visited him at his new school the following day. After this, they went shopping for new clothes he could wear. As you can see, the transition between them happened more gradually, more naturally, not quite at such a Hollywood pace.
When The Tuohy Family Met Michael Oher
What Leigh Anne Does For A Living
In reality, Leigh Anne Tuohy was an interior designer. Perhaps you might even have noticed the way Leigh Anne talked about Patrick Ramsey if you were paying particular attention. If you were wondering how these two bits of information are connected, we would like you to know that Leigh Anne Tuohy actually worked for the Washington Redskins quarterback! It was not stated outright in the movie, though it was not entirely without purpose. Many people consider it to be an Easter egg that only the most devout football fans could catch. By devout, we mean people who are committed enough to update themselves updated on the home improvement strategies of the players!
What Leigh Anne Does For A Living
The Issue of Race
Over the course of the film, the topic of race was raised several times. Once, Sean Tuohy admits his initial disbelief at being the father of a black son. Another time, it was mentioned by a fellow player who jeers at Oher in a game. As a whole, however, it received only the smallest attention in the film but there was more to it than that in real life. While the Tuohy family indeed enjoyed his presence and grew to like him, Leigh Anne initially feared for everyone involved as she was aware of her family’s occasional racist tendencies. However, Oher was still able to fit in well with the adoptive family despite all their differences.
The Issue of Race
Not As Ideal As The Film
Next, we have another thing that Hollywood chose to embellish. In the film, it seems like Michael Oher was accepted by the family right away, thinking he was the perfect child and sibling, while he believed Sean and Leigh Anne were the parents he never had. Unfortunately, things were not that way in real life and both ends were doubtful in the beginning. There was tension between them that probably never broke even though they were not unkind to each other. Oher continues to think of the adoptive family fondly and he indeed ended up becoming close with both Collins and S.J. However, this did not happen overnight, so don’t be fooled by what Hollywood might have led you to believe.
Not As Ideal As The Film
The Relationship Between Mentor and Mentee
In the movie, Sandra Bullock portrayed the role of a guardian figure in the form of Leigh Ann Tuohy, who instilled in him a love for football. Tuohy certainly played a role in shaping the athletic star, though he did not actually receive all of his training and in-game knowledge from her. It seems like the director milked the relationship between the mentor and the mentee in order to make it more ready for Hollywood. It appears that the director did not discuss what it actually took Oher to achieve his goals. For Mike, the film did him a disservice by glossing over the effort and hard work necessary to reach all of his goals.
The Relationship Between Mentor and Mentee
Sandra Bullock Nearly Turned Down The Role
One reason The Blind Side was so great was Sandra Bullock’s standout performance. She even brought home a Golden Globe and Oscar for it! This is perhaps why it is so surprising to learn that she was initially doubtful about accepting the part. The award-winning actress had been offered the role numerous times but she declined as she was not enthusiastic about playing a devout Christian. Meeting Leigh Anne Tuohy in real life changed her mind, however. She finally accepted the part after the introduction, but it is interesting to find out who the other options were.
Sandra Bullock Nearly Turned Down The Role
Julia Roberts Declined The Part
Do you have any guesses about the other contender for the part of Leigh Anne Tuohy? The role was also offered to Julia Roberts but she turned it down as she felt she was not right for the character. Sandra Bullock replaced her in the end and it seems like this worked out for the better. Her knockout performance in the film took her career to a whole new level. Considering how successful the film ended up becoming, we can’t help but wonder if Julia Roberts regrets saying no to the executives!
Julia Roberts Declined The Part
Just Two Years Apart
A lot of people who fell head over heels with the movie and big fans of football could see the resemblance shared by actor Quinton Aaron and football star Michael Oher. Among other things, they have the same physique and the difference in height was negligible. However, they were slightly different in terms of age. In reality, Quinton Aaron is a little older than Michael Oher as the former was born in 1984 and the latter in 1986. Nonetheless, the age gap doesn’t matter since Quinton Aaron was still able to deliver a fine performance!
Just Two Years Apart
Friends From The Industry
While Michael Oher was not thrilled about the movie, he seems to bear no hard feelings toward the talented actors and actresses who brought his life story to the big screen. As a matter of fact, one cast member continues to play a role in his life – we’re talking about none other than Sandra Bullock! She tries to check on him and the rest of the Tuohy family every now and then. The actress has also been incredibly supportive of the football star and his career, cheering for him whenever she gets the opportunity to do so. You might even spot her at the bleachers cheering for Michael Oher during the Super Bowl games!
Friends From The Industry
Security Guard Turned Hollywood Actor
You’ll have a hard time finding a fan who wasn’t touched by Quinton Aaron’s amazing portrayal of Michael Oher. Considering how well he acted, it is hard to believe that this was actually the first lead role for the actor! Before The Blind Side, he only took on minor parts and worked as a security guard. This is not difficult to believe when you take into account his stature and strength. Apparently, he didn’t expect to snag the big role during his audition, and even offered his business card to John Lee Hancock to offer his security services for the film set. We are so happy that this humble man earned his breakout role in this film!
Security Guard Turned Hollywood Actor
Other Issues Regarding The Film
Michael Oher remains critical of the film based on his life. This does not only have to do with the way the film portrayed him as both a football player and a person. It also has something to do with how he is perceived today. He laments that he is rarely seen in the way he wants people to perceive him: a hard-working athlete who put in the time and effort necessary to accomplish his dream. It is disappointing for him to be seen as the football player whose life has been turned into a film.
Other Issues Regarding The Film
What Really Happened At Briarcrest Christian School
If you found the depiction of his time at Briarcrest Christian School to be too Hollywood-like, you hit the mark. Not unlike the rest of the film, the true events had been embellished in order to evoke more emotion from the viewers. The film shows teachers who immediately changed their mind about him when they saw him open up. Apart from this, the coach even delivers a persuasive and poignant speech in the hope of swaying the officials in Oher’s favor. The real events had been more complicated, however. The coach indeed advocated for his case, though he had to undergo academic requirements before his admission. Head on to the following slides to learn more about the other ways the film deviated from reality.
What Really Happened At Briarcrest Christian School
The Tell-All Autobiography
Michael Oher went out of his way to correct the mistakes the film made about his life. He accomplished this by writing an autobiography with the title I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness, to The Blind Side, and Beyond. In the book, he lets readers take a closer look at his childhood and corrected any errors the film made. He even expounded on several stories he thought the film did not resolve and added other personal information. The book allowed him to tell his story in a way the movie could not.
The Tell-All Autobiography
Collins Tuohy In Real Life
Many fans of the movie particularly adored his adopted sister, Collins Tuohy. The young woman was portrayed by Lily Collins in the film and she was depicted as a high-achieving teenager who was a part of both the cheerleading and volleyball teams. Interestingly, she really was talented in multiple areas. When she was a high school student, she won the state championship in the pole-vaulting category! As if that’s not impressive enough, she attended the University of Mississippi like Michael Oher. Unsurprisingly, she was a cheerleader at Ole Miss as well.
Collins Tuohy In Real Life
The First Time Michael and Sean Met
As you can tell by now, what happens on screen does not necessarily reflect the reality. Another example of this is the first moment Michael Oher meets Sean Tuohy. It was a rather moving scene, though the director invoked artistic liberties here. The film shows that the first meeting happened during a volleyball game in which Collins participates in. Oher, meanwhile, was left behind by the other viewers to clean up the mess they left. In real life, Sean Tuohy visited him at the school first to check if the young man’s lunch money was all set. He did this to ensure Oher could eat while at school.
The First Time Michael and Sean Met
The Preparation For The Film
Quinton Aaron might have already been strong at the time he was cast, though he still needed to work hard to be in perfect form. Believe it or not, he actually underwent training with a talented college football team to help him get into shape for the role. The Georgia Tech football team welcomed him with open arms to help him shape up for the film. Aside from ensuring he was on top of his physical game, the opportunity also helped him understand the field better which was equally as important.
The Preparation For The Film
Skepticism From Officials At Briarcrest
The Briarcrest Christian School authorities were not excited about the school being used in the movie. Despite the fact that it was later changed to Wingate Christian School, the officials were still worried that the school’s reputation might suffer after its release. This was largely because of the way the film depicted the teachers’ dismissal of the academic abilities displayed by Michael Oher. Regardless, fans could still tell the school was meant to be Briarcrest Christian School. Green, the school’s color, was featured in a subtle but prominent manner. The school officials must have let out sighs of relief as the film did not do anything that would cause them shame. In fact, they only relayed things important to the narrative.
Skepticism From Officials At Briarcrest
Many Firsts For The Humble Actor
Taking on the role of Michael Oher paved the way for a life Quinton Aaron never dared imagining before. Apart from playing the lead role in an Academy Award-nominated film, he also got to enjoy the glamorous life that accompanies an honor like this. As a matter of fact, Quinton Aaron had never hopped on a plane before he worked on the film. He experienced this when he was asked to come in for a second audition. He also checked off another item on his bucket list when he got to visit Los Angeles for the first time!
Many Firsts For The Humble Actor
A Supportive Mother
If you have supportive parents rooting for you, it doesn’t get much better than that. Quinton Aaron credits his loving mother for encouraging him to try out for the role. When his mother first saw the casting call, she was instantly reminded of her own son. She took note of the requirements listed down, particularly the one regarding the size. At that moment, she could tell this part was meant to go to her son. She ended up submitting his name in the hope that he would snag the part and make a name for himself in the industry.
A Supportive Mother
Determination Is The Key To Success
Now, do not go thinking that Quinton Aaron had it easy because he was about as tall as Michael Oher. Preparation for the role involved plenty of practice, rigorous training, and a busy schedule. Moreover, the actor had to go on a weight loss quest before filming started. Overall, he shed 100 pounds to get ready for the part! Aaron believes it was a small tradeoff for such a huge opportunity. As a matter of fact, he claimed he would have “done anything” to show he was perfect for the part. This is why he lost such a large portion of his body weight in only a matter of three months!
Determination Is The Key To Success
Musical Talent On Set
If you are a fan of country music, you must have thought Sean Tuohy looked really familiar… This is likely because the actor who played the character is actually the country music legend Tim McGraw! It definitely seems like his talents know no bounds. However, he was not the sole musical soul to be found on the set. There was another person with a name recognizable to music fans: Lily Collins, of course. She has indeed made a name for herself but some might know her better as the daughter of Phil Collins!
Musical Talent On Set
Her Biggest Undertaking So Far
When she appeared on The Blind Side, Sandra Bullock was a well-established actress in her own right. By then, she already had many acting credits under her belt. Among other things, she starred in the thriller Speed opposite Keanu Reeves. In the same year that The Blind Side came out, she also appeared in the rom-com The Proposal. However, her performance in The Blind Side earned her critical and record-breaking success. The actress finally had the spotlight completely shine on her. Her name was the only female one you will find above the title of the film! It is also worth mentioning that the drama film ended up grossing more than $200 million at the box office.
Her Biggest Undertaking So Far
Leaving Behind An Impressive Legacy
A lot of people had a great time watching The Blind Side and its list of fans ranged from the casual movie-goers to the most well-known critics. It did not only make waves at award ceremonies like the Oscars and the Golden Globes, but it was also a major career milestone for Sandra Bullock. Let’s not forget that it broke records at the box office! Can you believe that all of these achievements were made on a relatively low budget of right under $30 million? It raked in way more than that – $309.2 million, if you want to be specific! Thanks to the ginormous profit it made, the movie went on to become the highest grossing sports flick in history!
Leaving Behind An Impressive Legacy
Almost Like A Painting
For most viewers, the most memorable moment of the film would be the Thanksgiving sequence. The Tuohy family gathered at a crowded table to enjoy a rich meal together. Everything looked ideal down to the turkey bathed in the soft glow of the lights. However, a closer look will reveal something else. If you consider yourself an art nerd, you might have noticed a subtle Easter egg. As Leigh Anne set the turkey on the table, a replica of a famous Norman Rockwell painting called “Freedom from Want” can be seen. This could or could not have been coincidental. Regardless, it was a beautiful moment that captured the essence of family togetherness. Props to the team!
Almost Like A Painting
The Good Ol’ Ole Miss Spirit
You could not have missed the Ole Miss spirit in the film! The University of Mississippi was the alma mater of Leigh Anne Tuohy, Michael Oher, and Collins Tuohy. College football fans would definitely be jealous of a lineage like that. Interestingly enough, this was not Sandra Bullock’s first time portraying an alumnus of Ole Miss. In 1996, she starred in another drama flick called A Time To Kill. In the film, she portrayed the passionate law student Ellen Roark who also went to the University of Mississippi for her undergraduate degree.
The Good Ol’ Ole Miss Spirit
The Book That Served As Inspiration
Anyone who has watched the film can attest to how well Quinton Aaron managed to portray “Big Mike”. However, how much of the character was real and how much was fiction? The film largely drew from the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, written by Michael Lewis. Michael Oher’s story was only a part of the book, not the entire focus of it. Apart from Michael Oher, the book also discussed the story of the life and career of Lawrence Taylor, who was with the New York Giants from 1981 until 1993.
The Book That Served As Inspiration
Closer To Reality Than You’d Think
Sports fans probably noticed numerous familiar faces in the film, particularly among the coaches. This is because many coaches in the movie are actually past or current football coaches! If you need an example, there’s Houston Nutt who played the University of Mississippi coach. He actually used to be a coach at the University of Arkansas! There is also Ed Orgeron, the current head coach at Louisiana State University after serving as the coach at the University of Mississippi for a while. Another coach you’ll find in the movie would be Philip Fulmer, the former football coach at the University of Tennessee.
Closer To Reality Than You’d Think
Memphis Is Definitely Not In Georgia
As many fans already know, the film was set in Memphis, Tennessee. This was actually where Michael Oher lived and the movie even shows Leigh Anne saying, “I have been in Memphis my whole life.” However, observant viewers with a penchant for detail might have seen something inconsistent in the background. There was a scene where Michael and Leigh Anne walked past a sign that read “Georgia Lottery PLAY HERE” when they went to the Big and Tall shop! Pretty strange, considering the fact Georgia is a different state altogether. There’s no need to worry as this is only because they shot the movie in Atlanta, Georgia.
Memphis Is Definitely Not In Georgia
Set Fees And Profits
You already know this from earlier slides but let’s not forget that Sandra Bullock had her reservations about the role for religious reasons. After meeting Leigh Anne Tuohy in the flesh, she actually wanted the part so badly she didn’t mind the pay cut! Sandra Bullock, along with other Hollywood A-Listers, typically ask for a set fee. However, the film could not afford to pay it, but offered an alternative in the form of a percentage of the profits. Bullock agreed and this turned out to be a good deal thanks to the impressive box office sales.
Set Fees And Profits
Football Fans Rejoice!
The Blind Side was actually full of cameos but there was one particular person worth mentioning. Hugh Freeze, Michael Oher’s football coach from Briarcrest Christian School, actually made an appearance in the film! If you want to figure out where and when he appears, he played the assistant coach from the University of Arkansas. You can find him behind Houston Nutt, the real-life coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. At that point, Freeze was no longer working at Briarcrest as he has moved on somewhere else. Back then, he was serving as the head coach of the Lambuth University football team and later transferred to Arkansas State University in 2011.
Football Fans Rejoice!
What’s A Wonderbar?
Before a movie comes out, it is typically only known by the working title. Sometimes, the copies of the film theaters receive still come with the working title on the label! This is generally done to hide the identities of the most anticipated movies. For The Blind Side, movie theaters did not know it by the current title as they received the 35mm print with the title Wonderbar. This was actually wordplay on the German word “wunderbar”, which means “wonderful”. It seems like they were already expecting the success of the film even then!
What’s A Wonderbar?
S.J. Tuohy Makes An Appearance
As we previously mentioned, there were plenty of cameos made by the actual people in Michael Oher’s story. The real Tuohy family members even appeared in the movie! The cameo was a pretty small part, though that does not make it any less interesting. During the first game in the film, S.J. Tuohy can be seen standing next to Tim McGraw who played Sean Tuohy. He went on to attend Loyola University in Baltimore and played football for the Loyola Greyhounds. Now 25 years old, the young man is presently a coach for the Southern Methodist University football team.
S.J. Tuohy Makes An Appearance
Wrong Answer To Waterloo Question
In the movie, Michael Oher was told to get his academics in order if he wanted to get into the Wingate Christian School. There was even a sequence showing him taking a history exam, though something was not right about the details here. As the camera pans over the scene, you can get a glimpse of a question regarding the Battle of Waterloo. In particular, it asks where it took place. If you look at the top, you can see Michael said it happened in Germany and the answer was marked correct! However, it actually took place in a former territory of the Netherlands that now belongs to Belgium.
Wrong Answer To Waterloo Question
That Should Not Have Been There
When a film is shot not long after the setting, it might seem as if there was nothing that changed in the real world. Because of this, there are several details that get overlooked by the production team. A good example would be the recruiting office scene when Tom Lemming receives a DVD about Michael Oher. It rested on top of a magazine with a cover page showing Bryce Brown in the Army All-American game in 2009. This should not have been there as The Blind Side took place in 2003 to 2004 and Bryce Brown was only a young boy then!
That Should Not Have Been There
More Continuity Errors
There were several other continuity errors in the film apart from the one with the Bryce Brown magazine. Again, the movie was set in the early 2000s and there were several things not yet available then. In the movie, there was a scene with Sean Tuohy browsing the Internet on Safari even though he was using a Windows OS. This might not matter now, though this was only made possible in 2007. There is also the fact that Leigh Anne Tuohy was shown driving a BMW 750LI, a model that was only released in 2006. This error was even more obvious since the particular model received a facelift in 2006 that made it easier to distinguish from its 2003 and 2004 counterparts.
More Continuity Errors
Confidential Information
Fans who are familiar with privacy laws probably caught on to this strange moment in The Blind Side. Leigh Anne had yet to adopt Michael Oher when she received access to his school files so she could monitor the progress he was making. In reality, such files are confidential and could only be accessed by a guardian or someone with power of attorney. Regardless, the social worker did not seem hesitant to provide Leigh Anne with the information when she dropped by the Wingate Christian School!
Confidential Information
Not Only A Sports Film
The Blind Side is more than just a sports flick – it can also be considered a Southern film! Apart from the setting of the story, the stars of the film are actually real-life southerners as well. Sandra Bullock was born and attended high school in Virginia, though she did spend a huge portion of her childhood in Germany as well. For college, she enrolled at the East Carolina University in the state of North Carolina. On the other hand, her on-screen husband and country music icon Tim McGraw, is a native of Louisiana. Impressively, he has come out with 14 albums in the course of his career, 10 of which attained the top spot on the country music charts! What a legend.
Not Only A Sports Film