Leigh Anne Tuohy(néeRoberts;born August 9, 1960) is anAmericanbusinesswoman and interior designer. She was guardian and supposed adopted mother of the football playerMichael Oher.Their story was featured in the 2006 bookThe Blind Side: Evolution of a Gameand its 2009 feature film adaptationThe Blind Side.[1]In the film, Tuohy was portrayed bySandra Bullock,who won anAcademy Awardand aGolden Globe Awardfor her performance.
Leigh Anne Tuohy | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leigh Anne Roberts August 9, 1960 |
| Education | University of Mississippi |
| Occupations | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
editShe was born inMemphis, Tennessee.Growing up, she was close to her maternal grandmother who lived with her family.[2][3]She graduated fromBriarcrest Christian SchoolinMemphis, Tennessee.In the early 1980s, she graduated fromUniversity of Mississippi,where she became a member of theKappa Deltasorority, was a cheerleader,[4]and met her future husband,Sean Tuohy,a basketball player for theOle Miss Rebels.[5]
Career
editTuohy and her husband once owned 115 fast food franchises ofTaco BellandKentucky Fried Chicken,but as of 2020[update]owned 11, having sold the majority in six separate transactions.[6]
Tuohy is an interior designer. In 2010, she was named one of three new design team members for ABC'sExtreme Makeover: Home Edition.[7]
Tuohy and her husband are also the co-authors of the bookIn a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving,which was published in 2010.[8]
Personal life
editTuohy married her husband Sean Tuohy, anIrish American,in 1982, and they live inMemphis, Tennessee.They have two children and were reported to have had Oher sign aconservatorship(not adoption) when he turned 18 years old. Oher later went on to be anoffensive linemanin theNational Football League.[9][10]
Their daughter Collins Tuohy was a state champion pole vaulter and a cheerleader at theUniversity of Mississippi.Their son Sean "SJ" Tuohy, Jr. played basketball for theLoyola Greyhounds.[11]
InAugust 2023, Oher filed a lawsuitalleging the Tuohys had not adopted him but, rather, misled him into signing a conservatorship agreement under the belief it was adoption papers. The agreement enabled them to make business deals under his name including, allegedly, the creation of the movieThe Blind Side[12]and the selling off of Oher's perpetual likeness and life story toFox.In an interview, Sean Tuohy agreed that the agreement was a conservatorship, but he said it was created since Oher was older than eighteen, and theNCAAwas concerned about him playing at theUniversity of Mississippi,a school where the Tuohys werefinancial boosters.[13]The Tuohys released a statement through their attorney that alleged Oher had threatened to plant a negative news story if the couple did not give him $15 million, claiming that he had attempted this on previous occasions, but that he had struggled to find lawyers to take the case.[14]A judge ended the conservatorship and declined to dismiss the case in September 2023,[15]and the Tuohys later told the court they would remove all mentions to Oher being adopted from their website and public speaking advertisements.[16]
Tuohy gave the commencement address atChristian Brothers Universityon May 14, 2010. She also received anhonorary degreefrom the university during its commencement ceremony for her commitment to the less fortunate and her ongoing quest to recruit others to make a difference.[17]
References
edit- ^"THE BLIND SIDE (2009)".History vs. Hollywood.December 11, 2013.
- ^Tuohy, Leigh ann (2010).In a Heartbeat:Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving.Macmillan.ISBN9780312577186.
- ^de Bertodano, Helena (March 5, 2010)."Oscars 2010: Leigh Anne Tuohy interview".London: The Telegraph.RetrievedApril 20,2011.
- ^"Leigh Anne Tuohy is the Real" Blind side "Mother Photos and Video. - RightFielders Women in Sports".Archived fromthe originalon March 7, 2016.RetrievedApril 17,2017.
- ^Lewis, Michael(2007).The Blind Side.New York, N.Y.: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. p. 62.ISBN978-0-393-33047-2.
- ^Ewen, Beth (October 12, 2020)."Auspex Capital unwinds RGT Management with dose of philosophy".Franchise Times.
- ^"ABC Medianet".ABC Medianet. Archived fromthe originalon October 22, 2010.RetrievedNovember 13,2010.
- ^"'In a Heartbeat' highlights the bright side of the Tuohys ".Baltimore Sun.RetrievedApril 15,2011.
- ^Lewis, Michael(September 24, 2006),"The Ballad of Big Mike",New York Times Magazine
- ^"People | Depth Chart".Baltimore Ravens. Archived fromthe originalon November 11, 2010.RetrievedNovember 13,2010.
- ^Meet the Grizzlies Broadcast TeamArchivedNovember 1, 2009, at theWayback MachineatNBA.Retrieved August 23, 2009.
- ^"'Blind Side' subject Oher alleges Tuohys made millions off lie ".ESPN.August 14, 2023.
- ^"Sean Tuohy Speaks Out About 'Blind Side' Subject Michael Oher's Legal Claims: 'The Allegations Are Insulting'".People.
- ^"Tuohy Family Claims Michael Oher Attempted to 'Threaten' Them with Negative Press in $15 Million 'Shakedown'".People.
- ^Sainz, Adrian (September 29, 2023)."Judge says she is ending conservatorship between former NFL player Michael Oher and Memphis couple".AP News.RetrievedOctober 4,2024.
- ^Sainz, Adrian (November 29, 2023)."Memphis couple to remove references to Michael Oher being adopted as part of legal battle".AP News.RetrievedOctober 4,2024.
- ^"Leigh Anne Tuohy to Deliver CBU Commencement Address".CBU.edu. April 8, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon July 8, 2010.RetrievedJuly 2,2010.
External links
edit- Leigh Anne TuohyatIMDb
- Leigh Anne Tuohy- archived old website