The Blind Side author is sharing his take on the legal drama between Michael Oher and the Tuohy family.
Michael Lewis, who wrote the novel that inspired the Oscar-winning 2009 film, shared his perspective on the former NFL player's legal filing alleging that the Tuohy family—whom he also claimed misled him into agreeing to a conservatorship by telling him it was equivalent to adoption—made a large profit off the adaptation of the story of his life, money that Oher says he did not see. For his part, Lewis affirms that neither he nor the Tuohy family saw much of the millions that the award-winning film would ultimately gross.
"Everybody should be mad at the Hollywood studio system," Lewis told The Washington Post in an interview published August 16. "Michael Oher should join the writers strike. It's outrageous how Hollywood accounting works, but the money is not in the Tuohys' pockets."
In his petition viewed by E! News August 14, Oher claimed that each member of the Tuohy family received $225,000 each for The Blind Side, plus an additional 2.5 percent of the film's "defined net proceeds."
Lewis, who has written a multitude of nonfiction books, including Moneyball and The Big Short, originally learned of Oher's story through childhood friend Sean Tuohy.
He noted that he was originally paid $250,000 from Twentieth Century Fox for the movie rights to his book, which he then split 50-50 with the Tuohy family—with each party walking away with around $70,000. For their part, Sean told the Daily Memphian that they divided their share evenly, with himself, wife Leigh Anne, their biological kids Collins and Sean "SJ" Jr, and Oher each making around $14,000.
And after a different production company ended up making the film instead of Fox, Lewis told the Post that he, Oher and the Tuohys were offered an equity stake in the movie—one he said that hasn't proven to be too profitable.
Lewis concluded, "What I feel really sad about is I watched the whole thing up close. They showered him with resources and love. That he's suspicious of them is breathtaking. The state of mind one has to be in to do that—I feel sad for him."
E! News has reached out to reps for Oher as well as the Tuohys over Lewis' comments but has yet to hear back.
Since Oher's allegations became public knowledge August 14, members of the Tuohy family have expressed their love and support for the former football player while pushing back against his claims.
"It's upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children," Sean told the Daily Memphian. "But we're going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16."
SJ has also echoed his father's claims. "Man, if I had $2 million in my bank account, it would be in my email signature and say, ‘Signed, SJ Tuohy, multi-millionaire,'" he said on Barstool Radio August 14. "You will never hear me say anything bad about Michael Oher in any capacity other than I'm upset that he feels the way that he does. I think some of the things that were mentioned in the probate or book or whatever I don't necessarily agree with and or remember happening like that."
However, Marty Singer, a lawyer for the Tuohy family, has equated Oher's filing to a "shakedown," arguing that the Tuohys have given Oher an equal cut of every profit they've made from the film.
"Anyone with a modicum of common sense can see that the outlandish claims made by Michael Oher about the Tuohy family are hurtful and absurd," Singer said in a statement to E! News on Aug. 15. "The idea that the Tuohys have ever sought to profit off Mr. Oher is not only offensive, it is transparently ridiculous."
And while Oher has remained largely mum since news broke of the filing, his legal team did share a comment on his behalf with E! News on August 15.
"I am disheartened by the revelation shared in the lawsuit today," the athlete said through his attorney. "This is a difficult situation for my family and me. I want to ask everyone to please respect our privacy at this time. For now, I will let the lawsuit speak for itself and will offer no further comment."
Keep scrolling to see photos of Oher and the Tuohys over the years.
Collins Tuohy, Sean Tuohy Jr., Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy got dressed up for the 2009 New York premiere of The Blind Side, the movie based on their life with adoptive son Michael Oher, who became a pro football player.
The longtime couple walked the red carpet at the 2010 Academy Awards in Los Angeles in honor of The Blind Side, which earned actress Sandra Bullock an Oscar that year for playing Leigh Anne.
Michael Oher promoted his book I Beat the Odds on The View in 2011.
Sandra Bullock posed with Leigh Anne, who she played onscreen, at a Blind Side benefit event in New Orleans in 2009.
Sean, Leigh Anne and Collins attended the movie's New York premiere in 2013.
Michael tied the knot with Tiffany Roy in November 2022. "Filled with joy, can't believe people took their time and came to celebrate!" the former NFL player captioned a photo of the ceremony. "My beautiful wife, I love you so much, thank you for blessing me with our family! Easily the best single weekend I've ever been apart of."
Leigh Anne and and Sean brought daughter Collins to the 2010 CMT Music Awards, where Carrie Underwood was a big winner.
The group posed for a photo at the Nashville event.
Oher stopped by the Walk of Champions at Ole Miss in April 2023. "Glad to see my name's still there," he wrote. "Class of ‘09, represent (‘08 football season). I got to take a tour of the new facilities under construction."
The marketing expert shared a photo with her husband Cannon Smith at the Old Florida Fish House
in July 2023. "Sweaty faces and full hearts," Collins wrote on social media. "It's a hot one down here, but we are having the best time. This restaurant is an oldie but goodie. We always eat here at least once. Best sushi."
Michael stopped by SiriusXM Studios in NYC on Aug. 9, 2023.
"Always know football season is right around the corner when it hits LAT's birthday," Collins wrote on Instagram in August 2023 alongside a throwback photo. "Today is the day… Happy Birthday Mom!! Love you!"
The football pro shared a pic with his loved ones in March 2023, writing, "Life is Beautiful‼️#family #life #growth."
The pair, who got married in 1982, went to an after-party hosted by Bloomberg and Vanity Fair party following the 2010 White House Correspondents dinner in Washington, DC.
Michael geared up for the release of his book When Your Back's Against the Wall in August 2023.