Nigerian actor, Hanks Anuku explained the negative effects on both his career and personal well-being caused by a viral video that wrongly portrayed him as mentally unstable.
The video, released in 2022, depicted Anuku in worn-out attire and apparently engaging in self-conversation, sparking extensive conjecture about his mental well-being.
Not long after the video surfaced, Nollywood actress Shan George denied the allegations, stating that Anuku was not mentally unstable.
In a recent interview with content creator Lucky Udu, which went viral on Sunday, Anuku made it clear that the video was filmed during a movie production.
The actor detailed his preparation for a role as a mentally unstable character, stating that he was fully immersing himself in the environment to enhance his performance.
“I was trying to get into character for a role I was going to play, a madman role. Someone who was not in his correct senses or right frame of mind,” Hanks Anuku stated.
“So I had to go naturally visit the environment on how I would play it in that same neighbourhood. I was just showing the way the director wanted me to do it, meditating and getting into character.
He denied speculation about being under the influence of drugs and ill, emphasizing his sound mental state.
“They said a lot of stuff. They said I was sick, on drugs, I am not sick, I was not on drugs, maybe they saw me depressed, depression can bring stress. But me being on drugs, that’s not true: I am not a madman, I am very sane,” Hanks Anuku said.
The actor lamented the repercussions of the video, which led to a loss of friends, job offers, and income.
“I lost friends, producers no longer contacted me for jobs. I lost a lot of money, I lost jobs, and I was jobless. People did not care about me. It was God who directed my footsteps to a good soul,” he shared.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Hanks Anuku expressed his heartbreak over the situation. “I went through pain. If you were in my shoes, you would feel it. I was heartbroken for these people to do this to me.”
NKONKONSA.com