Churches Had Role in “The Blind Side” Success

It's hard to point to one thing that made "The Blind Side" such a surprising breakout hit at the box office -- a success that has carried over well into Oscar season.

But some credit goes to churches, which spread the word on the family friendly story about an inspirational woman doing right. According to the The New York Times, the film's marketing company -- Grace Hill -- took the "unusual step" of offering on-line sermon outlines based on "The Blind Side" to churches. This included clips from the movie that could be used in churches with video screens.

Some 23,000 houses of worship downloaded the sermons laying out a strong foundation for the film. Another shocking revelation in the article is the depths of Bullock's concerns about her role even during the filming. The fact that she initially turned down the part -- which Julia Roberts also turned down --  is well reported. But uneasiness continued well into production.

The Times quotes Bullock saying the first week was "the worst I ever had."

By week two: "I regretted having taken the film. Like I shouldn't have done this."

Clearly something happened to turn this ship around in a role that could have Bullock winning her first Oscar.

Contact Us