User:Candyo32/Sandbox31

The Blind Side is a 2009 American drama-sports film, adapted from the biography, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. The film stars Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron, Tim McGraw, Jae Head, Kathy Bates, and Lily Collins. The film chronicles the beginnings of NFL player Michael Oher from his impoverished upbringing, to his adoption by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy and football career, to which he became one of the most highly coveted prospects in college football.

Production

Casting

Julia Roberts first received the script for the role of Leigh Anne Tuohy, but afterwards expressed no interest in the role. As was the role of ________ in The Proposal. the role of Leigh Anne was offered to Sandra Bullock, who initially turned it down three times. According to Bullock, she loved the script, but was intimidated by portraying such a devout, Southern conservative Christian. Bullock revealed that she had a concern with people who use their faith as a front, and then do not do the right thing. In a last resort to encourage Bullock to take on the role, director John Lee Hancock convinced the actress to travel to Memphis, Tennessee to shadow the Tuohy's and visit Briarcrest Christian School. After speaking with Leigh Anne Tuohy about having bad experiences with people who used faith as a shield, Bullock said that she saw how "honest and forthright" the Tuohy's were "I finally met someone who practices but doesn't preach—someone who blazes trails, and they do it as a family." The actress credited the Tuohy's, whom she said, "walk the walk," in having her faith restored in people who represent a faith." In turn, Bullock cut her original fee to star in the film, agreeing to share in profits only.