‘Blind Side’ Author Says Michael Oher ‘Should Be Mad at Hollywood’ and Not Tuohy Family

Blind Side author Michael Lewis, who wrote the bestselling book that inspired the 2009 film starring Sandra Bullock, is speaking out about the ongoing controversy between Michael Oher and the Tuohy family.

"What I feel really sad about is I watched the whole thing up close," Lewis said to the Washington Post on Wednesday. "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."

Earlier this week, Oher claimed in legal documents that the Tuohy family tricked him into signing a document that named Leigh Anne Tuohy, who was played by Bullock in the film, and her husband, Sean Tuohy, as his conservators.

Oher said he thought the paperwork was related to them adopting him as part of their family — a heartwarming aspect of their story, which gripped people's imaginations when the book and movie were released.

Since that news broke, Sean and his son Sean Tuohy, Jr. have denied allegations of any wrongdoing, including pushing back on Oher's claims that the family made millions from their story, while Oher received nothing, especially from the film he said "would not have existed without him."

On the aspect of compensation, Lewis said he thinks Oher's ire is misplaced and should be directed at the entertainment industry instead.

"Everybody should be mad at the Hollywood studio system," Lewis said in the interview. "Michael Oher should join the writers strike. It's outrageous how Hollywood accounting works, but the money is not in the Tuohys' pockets."

He added that though the film made around half a billion dollars, the stake that Lewis and the Tuohy family had in the film did not yield as large an amount as one would expect.

Lewis estimated the Tuohy family's share to be about $350,000.

"We didn't make any money off the movie," Sean Tuohy previously said. "Well, Michael Lewis gave us half of his share. Everybody in the family got an equal share, including Michael. It was about $14,000, each."

On Wednesday, the Tuohy family announced they would move to end the conservatorship.