Tim McGraw Gets to the ‘Heart’ of Latest Film Role

After playing "Dad" in 'Friday Night Lights' and 'Flicka,' singer-turned-actor Tim McGraw admits he was hesitant to take on what could have been a too-familiar part in the upcoming feature, 'The Blind Side.' But the powerful script left him little choice but to accept the role.

"I had a stack of scripts to read," Tim tells GAC. "I was on vacation. I knew I had this window of opportunity to do a movie, so I was looking through all these scripts. I got to this movie, and I knew the story because I knew about the book, but I didn't know all of it. My first reaction after reading the script was 'I have to do it.' It's such a great human story and a story about heart. Once I got past being the dad and it being about football [like 'Lights'], I got to the heart of the story, and I was sold on it."

The icing on the cake for Tim was the opportunity to co-star alongside Sandra Bullock and Oscar winner Kathy Bates, although Tim admits that did put a little added pressure on him. "You don't want to be the guy who goes in there and messes the movie up. There are some heavyweights in there. You don't want to be the guy who gets hired to come in and do a part and be the one who's the weak link in the movie."

The film is based on the true story of Michael Oher who grew up in Memphis and is playing his rookie season this year for the Baltimore Ravens.

"He's a left side tackle which is 'the blind side' of the quarterback, and that's where the name [of the movie] came from," Tim explains. "He protects the quarterback's blind side. He was virtually homeless. He didn't really have a place to live. This family took him in under their wings and gave him a home, some hope, and opportunity. It's a story about heart and the heart that this family had to take this kid in and give him an opportunity, and it's about the heart that this kid had to take advantage of the opportunity."

'The Blind Side' opens in theaters Nov. 20, and will have red-carpet premieres in Nashville and New York.