Michael Oher is asking for privacy for both him and his family.
The former NFL player, who is the subject of the 2009 film The Blind Side, filed a legal petition to end the conservatorship enacted after he turned 18 in 2004 which named Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy his conservators. Per the documents, Michael alleges that, in lieu of formally adopting him, the couple “falsely advised” him to sign a document giving them the legal right to make business deals in his name, asserting doing so would make him a member of the family.
Now, he is personally addressing his decision to take legal action.
“I am disheartened by the revelation shared in the lawsuit today,” Michael said in a statement to E! News through his attorney Aug. 15. “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.”
In court documents obtained by E! News August 14, Michael alleges that the conservatorship gave the Tuohy family legal power to complete business deals in his name. The documents also claim that the Tuohy family received $225,000 each for The Blind Side in addition to 2.5 percent of the film’s “defined net proceeds,” whereas Michael received no money from the movie chronicling the story of his life.