‘The Blind Side’: The Real Woman Who Inspired Sandra Bullock’s Character Reveals Her Thoughts on the Movie
The Blind Side, the Oscar-winning movie from 2009, is about a young man who grows up to be a successful football linebacker. Played by Quinton Aaron, the main character’s story is based on the real-life Michael Oher and Leigh Anne Tuohy, the woman who took Oher into her home after finding out he didn’t have anywhere to sleep. What does Tuohy, played by actress Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side, think of the movie — and of how Bullock portrayed her?
How does the real Leigh Anne Touhy’s feel about the 2009 movie ‘The Blind Side’?
Deseret News asked Tuohy how The Blind Side had changed her life. She explained:
We have learned that we all value people incorrectly and that we need to do a better job of realizing that everyone has potential and that everyone pretty much has the ability to make a difference. I think that’s what we’ve garnered more than anything from this.
“… we are very cognizant of everyone now,” Tuohy explained further. “… just because you’re holding a spot at the corner or whatever it might be, that if given at least a little bit of opportunity, that you have value.”
Tuohy and her family have remained closed with Oher, attending the 2013 Super Bowl which he competed in as a lineman for the Baltimore Ravens. According to a Today article, actress Sandra Bullock — “the Hollywood version of her” also cheered on the NFL star.
How Sandra Bullock got cast in ‘The Blind Side’
As Tuohy told Deseret News, Bullock came to Tuohy’s house and “hung out.” This was so the actress could get a feel for The Blind Side role.
“We spent days together and I didn’t know that this was a tryout,” Tuohy admitted. “I didn’t know she was investigating.” But she got a call after the fact, saying that Bullock was onboard.
“… she hung out, she loved the family and etc. etc, and he says, ‘she’s all in, she wanted to do it,'” Tuohy recalled. “I said, ‘That’s great. I didn’t know it was a tryout.’ I don’t think I would have done anything differently.”
However, Tuohy understood where Bullock was coming from.
“I think that she looked at it was like, ‘I gotta make sure that this fits me and that I can pull it off,'” she told the Deseret News. And what did she think of The Blind Side character?
“It was amazing,” Tuohy shared. “I mean, she wore my same makeup, fingernail polish, my clothing.” She went on to reveal how detail-oriented Bullock was.
She would go through my stuff; I was like, ‘Sandy, no one knows this, get over it.’ But she’s a perfectionist. When the movie was over the kids were like … ‘There’s two of them running around.’ She nailed it that much.
Sandra Bullock shares her thoughts on the footbal movie and her character
Bullock discussed her role in The Blind Side in a 2010 Tribute interview.
“I don’t know if I gave what I needed to give, but I was spent by the time I left,” Bullock said. “And, I did everything I could.” She continued:
I had a complete experience, not just in front of the camera, but in meeting people I never would have met, doing things I never would have done, thinking things and asking questions I never would have asked.
