Family helps Sandra Bullock and Co. research new film

ShareThis

Leigh Anne Tuohy says it was "extremely flattering" to learn that Sandra Bullock had been cast to portray her in a movie.
But could Tuohy reverse the situation and step into a movie star's shoes?
Before Tuohy and the star of "Speed" and "Miss Congeniality" met for the first time last month, Tuohy said she had this reaction to Bullock's plan to visit Memphis, Tenn.: "I can't do limos, I can't do nine assistants -- that's just not how we roll. If Sandra wants to come jump in the sandbox with us, bring her on."
The 5-foot-2 Tuohy and her 6-5, 309-pound adopted son, Michael Oher, a star Ole Miss lineman who is expected to be a top NFL draft choice, will be the focus of the movie "The Blind Side," which begins shooting in late April under the partial guidance of Memphis-born executive producer Molly Smith.
"At its core, it's a relationship story between Leigh Anne and Michael," said Smith, 27, daughter of FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith. "It's not totally a sports movie. It's a family, feel-good, relationship movie."
The film is based on Michael Lewis' best seller, "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game," which chronicled the bond that grew between the Tuohys, a well-to-do white family, and Oher, a struggling African-American student.
Now 22, Oher bounced from school to school and foster home to foster home before finding stability at Briarcrest Christian School and moving in with Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who eventually adopted him and now count Oher as one of "our three children," along with daughter Collins, 22, and son Sean Jr., 15.
For the Memphis film community, the downside of "The Blind Side" is that the movie will be shot in Georgia rather than in the Memphis area.
"As much as I'd love to bring the project to Memphis," said Smith, "there's substantial financial advantage to shooting in Georgia."
Originally slated to be a 20th Century Fox production, the movie is now being financed by Fred Smith's Alcon Entertainment company. Gil Netter ("Marley & Me") will produce, along with Alcon heads Broderick Johnson and Andrew A. Kosove, with Molly Smith as an executive producer.
The movie is being written and directed by John Lee Hancock, already responsible for one inspirational based-on-a-true-story sports movie: "The Rookie" (2002), starring Dennis Quaid.
Leigh Anne Tuohy, 48, an interior designer, said she has yet to meet Bryan Lay, the 6-foot-10 Bronx newcomer who will portray Oher, but she said Bullock was "a breath of fresh air" and "absolutely delightful," with none of the airs one might expect from one of Hollywood's most successful performers. (According to Forbes magazine, Bullock -- whose salary for "Miss Congeniality 2" was a reported $17 million -- has a fortune worth $85 million.)
Tuohy said she drove Bullock and Hancock around town to help Bullock research the role. They visited several places that are important to the story, including Briarcrest Christian School.
"Sandra and I were just trying to get together and get to know each other," she said. "She wanted to spend some time here and get the feeling of Memphis. We just kind of be-bopped around."
She said Bullock, 44, plans to return to town for a few more visits before shooting begins.
"I'm going to try to keep those under the radar, but I've found out how difficult that can be," she said, referring to local media reports about Bullock's visit.
The Tuohys already knew Hancock well. The filmmaker has been working with them for the past couple of years on the project.
"John Lee's just like part of the family to us," said Sean Tuohy, 49, a color analyst for the TV broadcasts of the Memphis Grizzlies games.
No actor has been announced to play Sean Tuohy in the film.
The Tuohys -- who have been married 27 years -- admit to mixed feelings about the attention brought to the family by the book and now the upcoming movie, especially since some people have accused them of exploiting Oher because of his potential for football fame and fortune.
"Michael gets ridiculed for living with a white family; Sean Jr. gets ridiculed for having a black brother," Leigh Anne said. "We can't worry about what everybody else thinks. All that matters is that the five of us know where our hearts are."

(Contact John Beifuss at beifuss(at)commercialappeal.com. His movie blog is www.thebloodshoteye.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)