In a lengthy statement, the Alcon Entertainment co-founders defended the movie's integrity.
The producers behind The Blind Side are speaking out amid Michael Oher's bombshell conservatorship lawsuit against Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy, defending the 2009 film and sharing exactly how much they paid its real-life subjects.
In a lengthy statement issued to ET on Thursday, Alcon Entertainment co-founders and co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove defended the film's integrity while shining a light on the nature of the 2006 business negotiations that resulted in securing the rights to the story. The Blind Side was based on Michael Lewis' book of the same name and relied on the likeness of both Oher and the Tuohy family. Alcon Entertainment financed the film, while Johnson and Kosove served as two of the movie's producers.
The statement begins with a defense of the film, which has come under scrutiny in recent weeks as Oher filed legal documents claiming that the Tuohys lied about adopting him and tricked him into making them his conservators when he was 18. He has also claimed that the Tuohys made millions off his name while he never received a dime after The Blind Side film -- starring Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron, Jae Head, Tim McGraw, Lily Collins and Kathy Bates -- earned more than $300 million at the box office. The book and film are centered around the Tuohy family taking in Oher and helping transform his life on and off the field.
The Tuohys have since responded to the accusations, denying Oher's claims and calling them "insulting."
"In the story of The Blind Side we saw the better angels of human nature. We saw it in the Tuohys' wonderful acts of kindness toward Michael Oher. However, more importantly, we saw it in the extraordinary courage that Michael Oher demonstrated in accepting the Tuohys’ generosity not as a handout, or as his saviors, but as a way through which he could improve his own life," the statement reads in part. "Michael’s academic accomplishments and athletic achievements demonstrate this. His raising of his own children now, who shall know a life of possibility the likes of which Michael never knew as a child, is the ultimate testament to Michael’s own strength and courage. In both of those regards, The Blind Side is verifiably authentic and will never be a lie or fake, regardless of the familial ups and downs that have occurred subsequent to the film."
Oher is the father of five children with his wife, Tiffany Roy.
It's been reported that the Tuohy family received 2.5 percent of the film's profits -- the film grossed approximately $309.2 million -- but that's not accurate. ET recently learned that the family deal actually paid them the aforementioned percentage of net profits, which is based on money left over after all costs are distributed.
All in all, it's believed the family earned under $1 million from the 2009 film.
Alcon's new statement further explains the specifics of the financial deal.
"The film rights to Michael Lewis's book, and the associated rights contracts were negotiated by Twentieth Century Fox and inherited by Alcon when the film was put in turnaround. It is important to note that in 2006, the nature of life rights deals for books, documentaries and film, as well as the limitations of what college athletes were able to do and maintain eligibility, were very different than they are today. Comparing them to today’s marketplace for those rights is akin to comparing a basketball Hall of Famer’s deal from 25 years ago to the nine-figure deals that are prevalent in today’s NBA. The deal that was made by Fox for the Tuohys' and Michael Oher’s life rights was consistent with the marketplace at that time for the rights of relatively unknown individuals. Therefore, it did not include significant payouts in the event of the film’s success," the statement reads.
"As a result, the notion that the Tuohys were paid millions of dollars by Alcon to the detriment of Michael Oher is false," it continues. "In fact, Alcon has paid approximately $767,000 to the talent agency that represents the Tuohy family and Michael Oher (who, presumably, took commission before passing it through). We anticipate that the Tuohy family and Michael Oher will receive additional profits as audiences continue to enjoy this true story in the years to come. In addition to these contractual payments, Alcon made a charitable contribution to the Tuohy family foundation. We offered to donate an equal amount to a charity of Mr. Oher’s choosing, which he declined."
At a news conference last week in Memphis, Tennessee, Tuohy family attorney Randall Fishman insisted that each member of the Tuohy family -- including Oher -- was paid approximately $100,000 after it was all said and done.
"Well, each member of the family has received the same amount of money," Fishman said. "So, imagine a pie divided by five, OK? We estimate each person received $100,000."
Earlier this week, the 37-year-old former NFL player filed a new request to the courts for 19-years-worth of accounting from the Tuohy family, claiming that Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy used him for their business and marketing ventures.
Oher, who previously played for Old Miss and the Baltimore Ravens while under a conservatorship with the Tuohy family, has filed a motion alleging he hasn't seen any money for the past 19 years from the use of his name, image, and likeness, and “never permitted [the Tuohys] to use his name, likeness, and image in any way.”
Oher, who previously accused the Tuohy family of tricking him into signing paperwork to make them his conservators and told him it was a part of the adoption process, alleges that the Tuohys have falsely claimed that he is their adopted son and used him in their marketing and business ventures. Oher also claims he has made multiple requests to the family to stop using his name, with the most recent allegedly being on Aug. 14. He says they have "ignored" his requests.
Oher has asked that this accounting be submitted within 14 days.
ET reached out to the Tuohy family for comment on Oher's latest allegations.
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