Nollywood veteran Hanks Anuku has opened up about how a viral video falsely depicting him as mentally unstable severely impacted his career and mental health.
In 2022, a video surfaced online showing Anuku in tattered clothes, seemingly talking to himself. Despite actress Shan George’s clarification that it was misinformation, and an investigation by the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), rumors persisted. Filmmaker Adanma Luke and others maintained that the actor was mentally unstable.
Addressing the controversy for the first time with content creator Lucky Udu, Anuku explained that the footage was from a movie set. “I was trying to get into character for a role I was going to play, a madman role,” he stated. “I had to naturally visit the environment to prepare. Someone circulated the video to tarnish my reputation.”
Anuku revealed the ordeal caused him immense personal pain, resulting in lost friendships, job opportunities, and financial loss. “I lost friends, producers no longer contacted me for jobs. It was God who directed my footsteps to a good soul. I went through pain, if you were in my shoes, you would feel it,” he shared.
