Sandra Bullock starred in The Blind Side in 2009, and almost 13 years later, it’s available to stream on Netflix (coincidentally following a newfound controversy concerning The Blind Side‘s subjects). Bullock’s list of movie credits is quite long and impressive, especially regarding its diversity. She has appeared in multiple popular romantic comedies (While You Were Sleeping, Miss Congeniality, Two Weeks Notice, and The Proposal), Academy-Award-winning dramas (Speed and The Blind Side), and high-grossing blockbusters (The Heat, Gravity, and more). Consequently, Bullock is one of Hollywood’s highest-paid and renowned actresses.

For The Blind Side, Bullock was nominated for her performance as Leigh Anne Tuohy at the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010 and won. She was up against four other extraordinary talents — Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe, and Meryl Streep. Nevertheless, Bullock came out on top and took home her first Oscar. She would later be nominated in the category again in 2014 for Gravity but lost to Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine. So, many would argue that The Blind Side is among Bullock’s best movies, even after the recent controversy regarding the 2009 biographical sports drama’s legitimacy.

The Blind Side Is Now On Netflix – What The Movie Is About

The 2009 Film Is Allegedly Based On A True Story

The Blind Side is based on Michael Lewis’ 2006 non-fiction book of the same name and claims to chronicle Michael Oher’s true story. Oher, a former NFL tackle, had a turbulent childhood. His mother was a drug addict and his father was in and out of prison, resulting in him jumping between foster homes when he wasn’t homeless. Oher was an exceptional athlete, though, and Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy had Oher stay with them while he played high school football. The couple also tried to help Oher raise his GPA so he could attend a Division 1 college on a scholarship.

The 2009 football movie The Blind Side chronicles the above events but primarily highlights the relationship between Oher and the Tuohys. It covers Oher’s rough life on the streets, the Tuohys taking him into their home, and Oher’s determination to succeed in football and school. However, The Blind Side changes a few details about the true story, and according to Oher, alters one major factor regarding the Tuohys.

Why The Blind Side Is Controversial

Michael Oher Filed A Lawsuit In 2023

In August 2023, Michael Oher filed a lawsuit claiming that the Tuohys never adopted him but manipulated him into agreeing to a conservatorship. According to ESPN, the court filing read:

“The lie of Michael’s adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher. Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys.”

The Tuohys asserted that Oher was aware of the circumstances many years before February 2023. However, per NBC News, the couple revealed in their court response they “never intended to, and in fact never did, take any action to assume legal custody through the Juvenile Court of Shelby County.” The Tuohys said they were “ready, willing, and able to terminate the conservatorship by consent at any time.”

In September 2023, a judge ruled to end the conservatorship, but the conflict didn’t end there. The Tuohys, in a court filing in December 2023, alleged that Oher tried to extort them. They claimed that Oher asked them for $15 million in exchange for keeping quiet about the conservatorship. Now, 14 years after the film’s premiere, the controversy surrounding The Blind Side makes its assertion that it’s “based on a true story” murkier than ever.

Sources: ESPN, NBC News