Even years after its 2009 release, The Blind Side is still honored as a classic film, primarily due to its stellar and iconic cast. Based on the book of the same name by Michael Lewis, The Blind Side is based on the true story of offensive lineman Michael Oher, who was taken in and educated by the Tuohy family in the early 2000s. In 2023, controversy emerged around The Blind Side's true story, as the real Mike Oher has spoken out about his contentious relationship with the Tuohy family. Nevertheless, the film still remains an important part of the American sports film canon.

The Blind Side relies heavily on its relationships and character sympathies and is often praised for the powerful and life-changing friendship between the main characters. The high-grossing movie earned $309 million on a $29 million budget and continues to be memorable. With this positive reception, The Blind Side was named the Best Sports Movie at the 2010 ESPY Awards and was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. One of the film's iconic cast members even won the Academy Award for her performance.

Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy

Date Of Birth: July 26, 1964

• Active Since: 1987

Actor: Sandra Bullock’s first feature role was in the 1987 film, Hangmen. Since then she has starred in several action films, including Speed, Ocean’s Eight, and Gravity. Bullock also has an extensive romantic comedy resume, with roles in While You Were Sleeping and, most famously, The Proposal. Many consider her breakout role to be the 1994 film, and subsequent franchise, Speed.

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Character: Bullock’s touching performance as Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side is widely considered one of her best roles. In the movie, Leigh Anne Tuohy is driven, strong-minded, and inspired to help Mike after recognizing his talent. Though the real Tuohy is now surrounded by controversy over her family’s conservatorship with Mike Oher, Bullock’s performance remains wildly popular. Bullock even won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in The Blind Side.

Quinton Aaron as Michael "Big Mike" Oher

Date Of Birth: August 15, 1984

• Active Since: 2008

Actor: Quinton Aaron was first known for the film Be Kind Rewind, which came out in 2008, just a year before The Blind Side. In The Blind Side, Aaron’s second feature film and first lead role, he was 24 years old when playing the 17-year-old Michael. Since The Blind Side, Aaron has primarily appeared in smaller independent films, like Halfway and Vivica A. Fox's Jason's Letter. Aaron has also had guest roles on several TV shows, including One Tree Hill and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

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Character: Aaron plays Oher as a lovable but defensive wallflower. He didn’t meet the real Oher until after the film’s release, basing his performance on the book and other accounts. Aaron reacted to the 2023 Blind Side controversy, defending his co-star Sandra Bullock and her role as Leigh Anne. In the movie, however, Oher is an empathetic presence – mixing emotional fragility with steely determination.

Tim McGray as Sean Tuohy

Date Of Birth: May 1, 1967

• Active Since: 1997 (Acting) & 1990 (Singing)

Actor: Tim McGraw has a relatively limited acting resume. He is best known for his singing career, where he is a record-topping Country singer with over fifteen studio albums and three Grammy Awards. McGraw's first lead feature film role was in Filcka in 2006, while his first acting performance dates back to a 1997 episode of The Jeff Foxworthy Show. The Blind Side was not McGraw’s first acting role in a football-centric film; he also starred in the 2004 sports drama film Friday Night Lights. He has also appeared in several episodes of the 2018 show Yellowstone and is one of the stars of its prequel series, 1883.

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Character: In The Blind Side, McGraw plays Leigh Anne’s husband, Sean. As Michael's adoptive father, Sean is an important presence in the story, helping provide an emotionally supportive environment. McGraw reportedly had to shave off his signature goatee to play the part to look more like the real Sean Tuohy. McGraw also contributed the song “Southern Voice” to The Blind Side’s soundtrack.

The Blind Side is not currently on streaming, but is available to rent and purchase online.

Kathy Bates as Miss Sue

Date Of Birth: June 28, 1948

• Active Since: 1969

Actor: Kathy Bates’ first on-screen role was in a minor 1971 film, Taking Off. However, her breakout role wasn’t until Stephen King’s Misery in 1990, for which she won an Academy Award. Like her co-star McGraw, The Blind Side was not Bates’ first football-based movie, as she starred alongside Adam Sandler in the 1998 film The Waterboy. Bates also has a prominent stage-acting career, receiving a Tony Award nomination for a 1993 performance off-Broadway.

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Character: Bates plays Miss Sue, Oher’s private tutor, who helps him improve his academic performance enough to get a scholarship. The character was based on Oher’s real tutor, “Miss Sue” Mitchell, who reportedly worked with Oher for multiple hours every night. Both outspoken and generous, Miss Sue is a hugely influential presence in Oher's life.

Jae Head as Sean "S.J." Tuohy Jr.

Date Of Birth: December 27, 1996

• Active Since: 2005

Actor: Head started his career with single-episode television appearances in How I Met Your Mother and Mad TV. Like his cinematic father, McGraw, Head also appeared in an episode of Yellowstone and the first season of the television series Friday Night Lights. His first film appearance was in the 2008 film Hancock. Since appearing in The Blind Side, Head has had only a handful of other film roles. S.J. Tuohy is Head’s most notable role to date.

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Character: Head played Oher’s adoptive brother Sean "S.J." Tuohy Jr. Although S.J. is eight years old in The Blind Side, Head was actually 11 when he began filming. It is S.J.'s initial befriending of Oher that sets the events of the story into motion, effectively acting as an introduction to the family.

Lily Collins as Collins Tuohy

Date Of Birth: March 18, 1989

• Active Since: 1991

Actor: The daughter of famous singer Phil Collins, Lily Collins’ first on-screen appearance was at two years old in the BBC show Growing Pains. At the age of 20, The Blind Side was considered Collins’ breakthrough role. Since acting in The Blind Side, Collins has transitioned into more dramatic roles, such as in the anorexia drama To The Bone and the Ted Bundy biopic Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile.

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Character: Collins plays the Tuohy’s other child, aptly named Collins. The role required Collins to act both mature and haughty as she played the 15-year-old. When Oher first joins the household, Collins is crucial in persuading her parents to keep offering their assistance – revealing a softness behind her slightly hostile demeanor.

Ray McKinnon as Coach Burt Cotton

Date Of Birth: November 15, 1957

• Active Since: 1989

Actor: Ray McKinnon’s first film appearance was in Driving Miss Daisy, where he was credited as Trooper #1. One of McKinnon’s first significant career successes was writing and directing the short film The Accountant, which won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. McKinnon’s career is extensive, with roles in many renowned movies and shows, such as O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Apollo 13.

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Character: McKinnon plays Burt Cotton, the head coach of the Wingate Christian School football team. As a result of this position of authority, he is a hugely influential presence in the direction of Oher's life. In real life, the Wingate coach during Oher’s time on the team was Hugh Freeze, who has coached at both Auburn University and the University of Mississippi.

The Blind Side’s Supporting Cast And Characters

Kim Dickens as Mrs. Boswell: Dickens plays Mrs. Boswell, one of Oher’s teachers at the high school. Dickens’ other credits include Gone Girl and television roles in Deadwood, Fear the Walking Dead, and House of Cards.

Adriane Lenox as Denise Oher: Playing Michael’s biological mother in The Blind Side, thespian Lenox acted in plays like Doubt, as well as television roles in shows like 30 Rock, Daredevil, and The Blacklist.

IronE Singleton as Alton: Aside from his performance as Alton, the gang leader in The Blind Side, Singleton has also starred in The Walking Dead and the 2020 Disney+ football film Safety.

Sharon Conley as Investigator Granger: In The Blind Side, Conley acts as the investigator, investigating the connection between the Tuohy family and Oher’s college admissions. In addition to her role in The Blind Side, Conley is also known for her roles in The Hunger Games and the TV miniseries Candy.