Quinton Aaronis defending hisThe Blind SidecostarSandra Bullockamid some online criticism she’s received for playingLeigh Anne Tuohyin the hit 2009 film, for which she won her Best Actress Oscar.
In the days since the film’s subjectMichael Oherfiled a petition alleging Leigh Anne and her familylied about adopting himwhile making millions off his life story, some social media users began suggesting that Bullock, 59, shouldreturnherAcademy Awardfor portraying Leigh Anne.
On Tuesday, 39-year-old Aaron — who played former NFL player Oher in the movie — shot down any criticism made against Bullock in an interview withTheNew York Post.
“We are living in a day and age where people are hell bent on pointing the blame on people and are just throwing things out there that’s wrong,” Aaron told the outlet. “It’s like saying, ‘Let’s throw this person to the wolves.’ "
Kevin Mazur/WireImage
“Sandra did nothing wrong. That’s my girl and she is going through a really tough time right now," he added, referencingthe recent death of her longtime partner Bryan Randall. “I really feel like they should leave her alone and stop trying to come at her.”
Aaron’s publicist did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment Wednesday.
Ralph Nelson/Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett
Bullock has not commented about Oher’s new claims against the Tuohy family.
“Stop trying to come for Sandra because you’re going to make me mad and they are going to have to come through me,” Aaron added to thePost.
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In a separate interview withTMZ Sports, Aaron said of Bullock, “She gave a brilliant performance. And that shouldn’t be tarnished for something that had nothing to do with her.”
Oher’s legal filing claims he unknowingly authorized the Tuohys to be his conservators in 2004 when he was 18 years old. He claims he recently learned that the Tuohy family was receiving residual checks fromThe Blind Sideand that his attorney J. Gerard Stranch IV discovered documents noting the family’s conservatorship in February.
“Michael trusted the Tuohys and signed where they told him to sign,” the legal filing claims. “What he signed, however, and unknown to Michael until after February 2023, were not adoption papers, or the equivalent of adoption papers.”
Martin Singer, the Tuohy family’s attorney, claimed in a statement to PEOPLE Tuesday that Oher threatened to “plant a negative story about them in the press unless they paid him $15 million.” The attorney also claimed the former NFL lineman “has actually attempted to run this play several times before.”
Additionally, a source close toThe Blind Sidetold PEOPLE Tuesday that the Tuohys received approximately $700,000 total in rights, payments and profits from the film, which were intended to be divided between Sean, Leigh Anne, their two biological children and Oher. Oher claims he has not received any money from the movie.
“The Tuohys have not received millions of dollars from the movie,” the source told PEOPLE. “They have not even received $1 million from the movie.”
source: people.com
