The 2010 Oscars were not particularly chaotic when it came to the acting races – Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock basically won everything on their way to the Oscars, so the night was fait accompli. That year, Bullock’s performance in The Blind Side was up against Helen Mirren (The Last Station), Carey Mulligan (An Education), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia). Sandra won, easily. I remember feeling like her win was comparable to Julia Roberts’ win for Erin Brockovich – a very popular “movie star” plays a gritty white woman in a successful mass-market film. Meaning, it was more about Sandra’s popularity within the industry more than her particular performance.
Well, now the real story of Michael Oher and the Tuohy family has been exposed, people are arguing that Bullock’s Oscar is somehow illegitimate and that she should return it? No. That’s not how any of this works. Bullock didn’t know the story because Michael Oher literally just figured out this year that the Tuohys had lied to him and defrauded him out of his life rights. Now TMZ is running stories about this dumbf–kery and they even did an interview with Quinton Aaron, the actor who played Oher in the movie. I’ll save you the click – Quinton says that of course Bullock should not be “stripped of her Oscar.”
Anyway, stop confusing “actors who play real-life people” with the actual real life people. Leigh Anne Tuohy is a psycho monster and Bullock only played the version of Leigh Anne which Leigh Anne dictated. Besides, in all of the Sandra Bullock talk, how is Michael Lewis not coming in for more criticism? He literally wrote the book on Oher and the Tuohys and he didn’t expose any of what really happened.
people are gonna focus on the movie because Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for it, but the biggest questions are for Michael Lewis—a journalist!—who is a high school classmate of Sean Tuohy and appeared on a panel with him as recently as THIS MARCH https://t.co/5WWENnlcyH https://t.co/C0JBNX8IyW
— Meredith Shiner (@meredithshiner) August 14, 2023
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- -West Hollywood, CA- 03/07/2010 – 2010 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter – Arrivals – -PICTURED: Sandra Bullock -PHOTO by: Bill Davila/startraksphoto.com -BDLd12189 Event # 38CF60B0172 Picture # 38D04CC0030 Event # 38CF60B0172 Picture # 38D04CC0030 Featuring: Sandra Bullock Where: West Hollywood, California, United States When: 08 Mar 2010 Credit: Bill DaVila/startraksphoto.com
Well, the author Michael Lewis is strait up defending the Twohys. So yeah.
Why are they dragging Sandra into this? Yes these people obviously don’t know real from a portrayal in a movie. So to those people I say seek help immediately.
It’s always easier to go after a woman. They’re making a distraction from the actual evil doers. Oldest play in the book.
I know right? Like she has nothing to do with any of this. She just played a role in a movie. Sandra is grieving the loss of her partner right now. People need to leave her alone.
This is so vile, I hate every bit of this for Sandra Bullock.
Let’s step into the wayback machine, whereby Sandra Bullock won an Oscar, but found out her husband had been REALLY cheating on her, for a long time.
Now, her LIFE PARTNER has died, and people on what used to be twitter are mad at her???
Make it make sense, someone, anyone.
Can we all just agree to leave Sandra Bullock alone, The Blind Side has been every part of the worst moments of her life. She is not remotely needed for law enforcement to prosecute the Tuohys. She’s burying the love of her life. I can fucking guarantee she doesn’t give a shit about her Oscar. Stop muddying the conversation with Sandra Bullock.
This is stupid.
I don’t think Michael Lewis deserves any criticism here either. The book was written 16 years ago, and it was mentioned then that this was a conservatorship (and Oher talked about as such). If Oher is just now realizing everything that happened was to take advantage of him, there’s no way that Lewis could’ve known any differently. Lewis is very well-respected, and there’s no way the book wasn’t subjected to a lot of overview before its release.
This is a good point. It has been years so I could be misremembering but I could’ve sworn this was even discussed in the movie, that they wanted to adopt him but he was already 18 so they went with conservatorship? That was the explanation given then correct? I know that people can be adopted legally at any time but for some reason I feel like this was the line they gave.
I respectfully disagree. He also co-wrote or wrote the screenplay which he made Michael seem very low intelligence with the family having to teach him football, when in real life, MO already understood the game and was an intelligent student.
Michael Lewis absolutely played into the racist white savior trope and should be dragged for his involvement.
He did not write or co-write the screenplay; it was written by the director of the film.
He is childhood friends with the father of the Tuohy family. He was likely to write the book more from his friends perspective, which informed the screenplay. He is currently defending his friends family in this. The father also bragged about out how he wouldn’t approve the screenplay without reading it first.
I’m well aware Michael Lewis is a respected financial journalist. I’ve read some of his other works and even own one of his books. However, I’m getting sick and tired of people misrepresenting sich, especially tired of ‘hey everybody knew all about the conservatorship way back, blah blah.’
My response: Oh really? Where’s the quote?
And also consider the flavor of Lewis’ sickly sweet prose when he refers to “the gifts” the Tuohy’s “bestowed on” poor (dumb) Michael Oher.
From Michael Lewis’ Blind Side book (c2007, 2006), search for conservator* gets zero hits.
But there are multiple search hits on adopt*, such as on p262:
“Leigh Ann and Sean explained to him that, if he had any intention of going to Ole Miss, they really ought to go through the process of formally adopting him, so that the many gifts they had already bestowed on him might not be construed as boosters’ graft, but parental love.”
And on p510, at a Briarcrest Christian School football practice, after the team’s fallen on hard times, the football coach sees Sean Tuohy eyeballing pass rushing defensive end, Greg Hardy; he sidles up and asks Tuohy: “You gonna adopt this one too?” To which Sean replies, “I don’t know. I’m waiting to see how good he is.”
So when I see people saying “16 years ago, and it was mentioned then that this was a conservatorship.” and “He wrote in 2011 he knew it was a conservatorship, not an adoption” and “facts are coming out such as in Michaels book in 2011” he “knew it was a conservatorship…” – proof?
Facts should include citations.
I’m well aware Michael Lewis is a respected financial journalist. I’ve read some of his other works and even own one of his books. However, I’m getting sick and tired of people misrepresenting sich, especially tired of ‘hey everybody really knew all about the conservatorship way back, blah blah.’
My response: Oh really? Where’s the quote?
And also consider the flavor of Lewis’ sickly sweet prose when he refers to “the gifts” the Tuohy’s “bestowed on” poor (dumb) Michael Oher.
From Michael Lewis’ Blind Side book (c2007, 2006), search for conservator* gets zero hits.
But there are multiple search hits on adopt*, such as on p262:
“Leigh Ann and Sean explained to him that, if he had any intention of going to Ole Miss, they really ought to go through the process of formally adopting him, so that the many gifts they had already bestowed on him might not be construed as boosters’ graft, but parental love.”
And on p510, at a Briarcrest Christian School football practice, after the team’s fallen on hard times, the football coach sees Sean Tuohy eyeballing pass rushing defensive end, Greg Hardy; he sidles up and asks Tuohy: “You gonna adopt this one too?” To which Sean replies, “I don’t know. I’m waiting to see how good he is.”
So when I see people saying “He wrote in 2011 he knew it was a conservatorship, not an adoption” and “facts are coming out such as in Michaels book in 2011” he “knew it was a conservatorship…” – proof?
Facts should include citations.
Seriously? They want her to give back her Oscar?! People are so, so stupid, omfg. Do they understand that the Academy Award and her performance have nothing to do with— oh, never mind. There’s no reasoning with some people.
Also, considering that Sandra just lost the man she called her soulmate and the love of her life *last week*, people should really just be leaving herTF out of this conversation right now. She might speak out about it at some point, but everyone should show some common human decency and not drag her name into this mess right now.
Unless, she was an executive producer of the film or close with the Tuohy family, the answer is no.
Sandra is in mourning now. She should be allowed to grieve.
Exactly, I’ve never heard a bad thing about Sandra Bullock. Why add more pain when she is already mourning the loss of her love.
Which is precisely what Michael Oher himself has said. He said that the talk of her Oscar was silly and a distraction, noted that she had just suffered an incredible loss, and said “Leave my Mama alone.” It was a beautiful statemet.
Quinton Aaron who *played* Michael Oher in the film defended her. I have not seen any outlet reporting Oher had anything to say about Bullock, who is frankly not his concern.
It might be nice for Sandra to release a statement in support of Oher once the legal case is decided. Until a judge rules on this, it would be too messy to consider her doing anything publicly at the moment (especially given that she’s mourning).
Her partner just died after a long, terrible, illness. No, she doesn’t and should not be expected to throw herself into this. Her hands are full, her children lost the only Father they’ve ever known, no.
I genuinely hope that she isn’t paying any attention at all to this right now. Let her grieve.
Yes, I hope the people around her have shielded her from even hearing about this entire mess, not yet. She’s in mourning FGS.
No she doesn’t have to give back her Oscar. People should leave her alone, she’s still grieving.
Rushing to judgment ; let’s wait for the whole story to play out. How is Sandra Bullock to know the real story? She was hired to follow the script. What was she supposed to do? Investigate the script writer? Not what she was hired to do.
I read a comment about the backlash on Sandra Bullock on another site that said, “Americans will always focus on the wrong things.”
American here, and that commenter is wise!
I’m actually really glad you covered this bc I’ve been angry about it 🤣
I think Sandra Bullock is a fine actress, she’s not amazing by any means, but she earned her Oscar and that has nothing to do with who she is as a person but whether she did a good job playing a character. That’s what actors do, they portray others. I don’t really see the point of her returning her Oscar 13 years later? For symbolism?
Sandra literally lost her life partner to a horrible disease last week and within that timeframe some of the public have gone from “poor Sandra” to “Sandra bad!” The stupidity is stunning to behold. Leave this woman tf alone. AT MOST her team should issue a statement about the scandal, AT MOST. Do people really think she is even paying attention to current events right now? She is grieving a deep loss. Anyone who has lost a close loved one will understand. She doesn’t give a fuck about anything right now. Find some compassion jfc.
Thank you, you articulated my feelings better than I did! The stupidity and cruelty of some people is just…I don’t even know.
No she shouldn’t give back her Oscar, that’s ridiculous. She is an actress, she did her job and portrayed the role she was hired for.
She was not a screenwriter.
She was not a director.
She was not a producer.
She was not the author of the book the screenplay was based on.
She wasn’t responsible for fact checking.
Now, is the movie overrated and one big white savior trope? Absolutely. But she acted her butt off and did her job.
Agree 100%.
Being a southern girl, I have a six degrees of separation with the Tuohy family. After watching the movie, my friend who does know the family said “Sandra bullock deserves the Oscar because she made Leigh Anne likeable and that is neigh on impossible’.
Sandra Bullock did her job, hit her marks, looked pretty fabulous doing it, and should not be a part of this mess. I am very annoyed when they use her image instead of an actual Tuohy family member.
LMFAO at your friend’s comment!
I watched the below deck episode they were on last night and she is terrible kept calling the staff boat people!
And completely agree with both of you she played a role and did a good job, what the real story was isn’t relevant to her performance.
Also people win awards for portraying bad people.
LOL I mean, she should’ve never gotten the Oscar in the first place IMO because it was a shit movie and her performance was mediocre but I agree that it was more about Sandy’s popularity as an actress than anything else. And yes, she is GRIEVING FFS!!!! Honestly, the mob mentality can get so insane sometimes.
She shouldn’t give back her Oscar. Many terrible people have won Oscars for much worse movies.
Nevertheless, this movie gave me the ick when it came out and I do wish she would have seen it for what it was which was the hamfisted White Savior trope. But that’s Hollywood.
Okay, but what “people”? All the reporting I’ve seen has just been about Quinton Aaron responding to the “people”, but nothing showing the “people” are more than just three trolls on Twitter. This is not an actual issue, and it’s another instance of a tiny minority being amplified because Twitter is a cesspool. To be clear, I think the larger story about the Tuohys taking advantage and profiting off Michael Oher IS an actual issue and important to talk about, but “people”? GMAFB.
Yes, this is another “somebody said something stupid on the internet” – guaranteed to get people to comment.
Came here to say the same thing.
How is Bullock in any way accountable for this story? She’s an actor playing a role as it was written in 2008-09. Is she supposed to say, “I can’t accept awards for this role because someday, the person I play might be outed as a fraud.” She didn’t award herslf the role. Maybe the lesson should be to stop awarding accolades to obvious white savior films.
if pedophiles, criminals, abusers, and racists (woody allen, roman polanski, harvey weinstein, casey afflect, mel gibson, and many many more) have not been asked to give back their oscar, then Sandra shouldn’t be asked to do anything. furthermore, it galls me she’s being asked to give anything back for playing a character when everyone just lets these a**holes skate by.
Excellent point
Well, Hangonamin, you clearly are missing the point. She has a vagina, those pieces of garbage you mentioned, don’t. Different standards apply.
This is stupid and like people missing the plot. Sandra performed in a movie, did an excellent job and got an award. This has nothing to do with what happened to Michael.
People need to not worry about a freaking award and focus on what was done and how it was allowed to happen.
A person over 18 can be adopted in Tennessee.
https://eu.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2023/08/15/blind-side-michael-oher-conservatorship-vs-adoption-tennessee/70594153007/
This should warn actresses that they may not be getting the full truth when handed a white savior role, but saying that she deserves to have her Oscar stripped is ridiculous. The Tuohy family has been grifting off presenting their conservatorship as an adoption for years.
She should have been more skeptical when offered the role and more skeptical of the woman she was playing. And her winning that Oscar was one of those bad choices Academy voters make sometimes. But, giving back Oscars is not a thing. As some have pointed out, there are much worse examples of unworthy people holding on to Oscars.
There certainly are worse examples of terrible people winning Oscars, but in my mind that’s MORE of a reason to renounce this particular award, not less.
Jfc. Leave her alone and let her be. She is going through something so harrowing that an Oscar isn’t even registering on the things that matter. Only ghouls would bother her with this now.
It’s a distraction. It’s insulting as well. Instead of the real LeAnn Tuohy’s picture, tabloids are using Sandra’s image. It’s completely disingenuous. No one (especially in the Black community) is calling for Sandra to lose her Oscar. If they are, shame on them, especially now while she’s grieving.
I’m not sure people really want or expect Bullock to renounce her Oscar. I think some of them just hope she’s the kind of person who would.
This has nothing to do with her, it’s a distraction from the actual issue.
She just had a horrible loss and has been a caretaker for someone dying from ALS for years.
I assure you she doesn’t give a fu€k about this, if she even knows about it right now.
She is an actress playing a part, are you not understanding that?
And I have literally never seen you on this site before and I read every article and comment section every day.
But here you are multiple posting that she should give up her Oscar
Which makes me think you have an outside agenda about this.
I don’t believe that Sandra should return an award that she won years ago based on a story that she would presume was the truth. It wasn’t on her then or now to know the authenticity of the story that the people involved actually confirmed to her to be true. She portrayed the character that was written for her to portray and she won an award for it. I’m saddened that Sandra has been brought into this with some wanting her to return her earned award and by her being interviewed for a response during a time that she is grieving an unbelievable loss. I was disappointed in her response, since I genuinely like her as an actress and who she seems to be as a person. I excuse her unattached and almost selfish response as coming from someone who is still grieving for herself and her children. I just fear that others will take her being concerned with how all of this has “tainted this movie that she loved making” and that this “might cause people to miss what the movie was all about” into account when hearing her response. Grief can rock us to our core and make us respond or react in ways that we might not normally respond or react. I hope that is the case, but I am still angry with those who ignored her grief to bring this crap into her life.
I will say that I looked up various interviews during the time of the movie release and the Touhy parents did imply that they adopted Michael in them. George Stephanopoulis in one interview, referred to them adopting him multiple times with them sitting right next to him. Then they even said that they “Didn’t go into this whole thing with the intention of adoption”. Then in a Mike Huckabee interview they said the same thing and added that “they think that people will walk away from this movie wanting to do more, maybe not as much as adoption, but they didn’t go into this with the idea of adoption either”. Michael was a teenager, yes an 18 year old teenager, but a young man who had no possible way of understanding that these people who are God fearing people claiming to be his adoptive family in every interview they could get, weren’t legally his adoptive parent. As a young adult, if the people who care for you and say they love you as if you were their own, tell you that they signed documentation that makes you a family and then go as far as to do that publicly on television using the word adoption, why would you question that?
Sandra hasn’t had a ‘selfish’ or ‘detached’ response. Or any response. A ‘source’ supposedly told the Daily Fail this is how she’s feeling.
I think in this day and age actors are more aware of taking on white savior-like roles? I believe she filmed the movie in 2008 probably, it came out in 2009. Sandra filmed the movie before she adopted her two black children (the first one was adopted in January 2010). I’ve always wondered if her perspective about making that movie shifted once she entered the world of transracial adoption.
However she shouldn’t be blamed for being in that movie. No one knew just how deceitful the Tuohys were and I’m sure Michael Oher didn’t once think about Sandra when he filed the lawsuit. She’s grieving and doesn’t deserve to be called out for a situation that has nothing to do with her. She only played a fictionalized character based on the real story, she isn’t Leigh Anne Tuohy herself.
Yeah, it was the era of “Freedom Writers”…”The Help”..etc.
This elevates the phrase “taking offense” to a whole new level.
You really have to work hard to be offended by some of this sh*t.
White writers, actors, directors, and smarmy evangelical multimillionaire Jesus freaks co-opting BIPOC stories, talents, and lived realities to the tune of literal $$millions in profits IS offensive.
For what it’s worth, this conversation is about two different things. There’s a difference between characterizing it as Sandra Bullock should be “stripped of” her Oscar and saying that Bullock should “give it back.”
Should “They” take her Oscar away? No. Should she give it back?
I would.
Sandra Bullock, as the adoptive mother of two black children (son Louis and daughter Laila) should MORE than clock the optics here.
That’s valid.
And it’s more than optics – it’s about taking a stand against white saviorism.
I’d argue the best way to do that would be to never have made the movie in the first place – and that goes for everyone involved.
People are talking about this like The Blind Side was made 40 years ago, and we only just figured out how infantilizing and gross it really is.
She’s likely more focused on helping those two children deal with the loss of their father.
Who are these “people”?