Veteran Nollywood actor Hanks Anuku has shared a heartbreaking account of his struggles with abandonment and stigmatization following a misconceived viral video.
The video, which showed Anuku wandering the streets in tattered clothing, led many to believe that the actor was experiencing a mental breakdown.
In a recent conversation, Anuku revealed that the video had caused severe damage to his life due to false rumors about his mental state and alleged drug use.
He clarified that the footage was taken while he was preparing for a movie role in which he portrayed a madman.
Anuku criticized those who filmed him without understanding the context, accusing them of irresponsibly spreading false rumors that tarnished his reputation.
Despite his efforts to assure everyone that he was perfectly fine, his family, including his twin brother and wife, believed the damaging rumors of drug addiction, leaving him feeling isolated and hopeless.
Adding to his challenges, Anuku recounted how the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) stigmatized him, and how his colleagues in the film industry ceased communicating with him and stopped offering him roles.
Despite these obstacles, Anuku shared that his resilience and unshakable faith in God helped him endure the difficult period.He is now gradually recovering, finding solace and slowly regaining his footing in both his personal and professional life.
“That there was trying to get myself into character for a role that I was going to play; madman role, someone who isn’t in his correct senses or frame of mind. I had to go naturally and visited the environment to see how it’d play,” Anuku explained.
Reflecting on the impact of the viral video, he added, “The video circulating about me is not what it seems. The videos have really affected my life. I lost all my friends, lost all my film roles, and lost money. Nothing happened to me. I am perfectly alright.”
