Amazing Story Continues For 'Blind Side' Inspiration

Sure, she's not a Super Bowl-winning quarterback nor will she ever be. But since Leigh Anne Tuohy has Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher by her side, Tuohy has won something more profound than any NFL championship could ever bring: the love of a person she gave hope to when there was none.

Tuohy and Oher's true-life story is chronicled in the new sports drama "The Blind Side." Opening in theaters Friday, the film tells how Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) rescued Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless African-American teen from the poverty-stricken Memphis, Tenn., projects. With the help of her husband, Sean (Tim McGraw) and kids, Tuohy fostered Oher's abilities in the classroom as well as on the football field.

While Tuohy and Oher's story is extraordinary in and of itself, perhaps more amazing is how it developed from a personal chapter in their lives to a movie on the big screen. It all began when writer Michael Lewis contacted his old friend, former college basketball great Sean Tuohy, about a book he was writing about high school baseball.

"When Michael was interviewing Sean, out Michael kept coming in and out of the room, and he asked, 'Who is this black kid?' So Sean filled him in briefly," Tuohy said. "Michael Lewis went home and told his wife the story, and since he was obligated to do a piece for the New York Times, his wife said, 'This is a feel-good story, why don't you write about this kid?'"

When Lewis approached the Tuohys about the idea, they just though it was a nice idea, but would only do it with Oher's permission. The story eventually went on to be told in Lewis' book "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game."

"We told Michael, 'We don't care. We just as soon not do this, but if you have an interest in your story being told, it might just be inspirational,'" Tuohy recalled. "He said, 'That's fine with me. It's not that big of a deal.' Now that 'not that big of a deal' is on the big screen."

Like any other movie, "The Blind Side" took time to develop, and eventually landed in the capable hands of "The Rookie" director John Lee Hancock. Appropriately, the person hired to play Tuohy was a real-life ball of energy much like herself."

"I was way okay with Sandra Bullock being cast to play me," Tuohy said, laughing. "There had big names mentioned as to who was going to play me and little names. It was a real rollercoaster ride. I just said, 'Don't tell me any names until the deal is inked and done.' When they came back to me and said Sandy was the one, I was like, 'Oh, my gosh! That's wonderful. What a great choice.' Five minutes after I met her, I was like, 'I'm not surprised that they cast her. Everything just worked out perfectly. It was meant to be."

Tuohy said that she was equally as thrilled that country music superstar McGraw was cast to play Sean. And it's a good thing McGraw is married to fellow singer Faith Hill, because if Tuohy had the chance, nothing could persuade her to trade her real husband in for the movie one.

"No, no, no -- my husband is the best little ATM machine you could ever have. I wouldn't trade him in for anything in the world," Tuohy said, laughing. "He's just a wonderful human being and he's raised three great kids."

That's not to say McGraw didn't have a handle on playing Tuohy's better half.

"Sean's got a little flair to him and he's a little cocky -- and Tim just nailed him," Tuohy said. "When I watched the film for the first time I was tickled with the job he did. It's not easy to nail Sean, and Tim did it."

While Tuohy is currently enjoying this phase of her life with the release of the film, she said her work is far from over. The story of Michael's success continues every day thanks to his great start with the Ravens (Tuohy attends every one of his games), and his adoptive mother said she's going to help others achieve the same goals.

"I was Washington, D.C., a couple of weeks ago for this big adoption coalition thing, and I was just amazed at the people in this country that adopt three or four kids. We just feel like, 'We only have one. I need to do more,'" Tuohy said. "It's just amazing how people open their homes to numerous children. We're so lucky that there are people out there like that."