Getting accepted to the role of Michael Oher brought the starry-eyed Quinton Aaron into a life he never expected to become a part of. Not only was he accepting a major role in an Oscar-nominated film, but he was unknowingly accepting a life of glamour that comes with such an honor.
Before he took on the role, Quinton Aaron had never stepped foot on an Airplane in his life. He finally experienced that when he was called to audition a second time for the role. Also a first for him, visiting the dazzling city of Los Angeles.
The Preparation For The Mighty Role
Not only did Quinton Aaron have to get used to life on set, but he also had to grow accustomed to life on the field. As strong as he was at the time of filming, he still had to do a lot of work to get in tip-top shape. So, he started training with a real, top-notch college football team in order to get into the role.
To prepare for the role, Quinton Aaron trained with the football team at Georgia Tech. To fully immerse himself in the role, it was crucial that he got to know the field as best as possible. And the training seemed to work, because Quinton Aaron did a good job convincing people he was really a football player.
Doubts
Authorities of Briarcrest Christian School weren’t so pleased about the film using the name of the school. While they changed the name to Wingate Christian School, the authorities worried that the film would shine a negative light on the school because the film shows the teachers as being dismissive of Michael Oher’s academic abilities.
As fans of the movie know, the school was fully portrayed in the movie. The director, John Lee Hancock, even used the school’s color, green throughout the film. The film did not defame the school in any way, and only used the school in order to realistically portray information relevant to the story.
Having Support
Having supportive parents can be the difference between success and failure. Quinton Aaron was made privy to this, as he understood that if not for his mother, he may not have tried out for the role as Michael Oher in the first place.
Aaron’s mother saw a notice for the role and automatically thought about her own son. After reading the role’s description and seeing that they were looking for somebody of Aaron’s size, she knew that the role was made for Aaron. So, she sent in her son’s information on his behalf, hopeful to receive good news. Unfortunately, she did not survive to see that her son received the part of Michael.
Make It Work
Quinton Aaron had to put in a lot of tough training, practice, and more to convince watchers that he was Michael Oher. So, what exactly did this “more” include?
The young actor had to lose weight for the role. All in all, he lost 100 pounds. Aaron was willing to pay this small price for the big opportunity. He even said he would have “done anything” to prove his ability to play the part. So, he lost major weight in just over three months. That takes a lot of hard work and motivation.