Actor Hanks Anuku, from Nigeria, has opened up about the devastating effects a viral video that erroneously portrayed him as mentally unwell had on both his profession and his personal life.
When the video, which appeared in 2022, showed Anuku talking to himself and wearing shabby clothes, it raised many questions about his mental state of mind.
Nollywood actress Shan George denied the allegations shortly after the tape surfaced, claiming Anuku was not mentally disturbed.
Anuku confirmed in a recent interview that went viral on Sunday with content producer Lucky Udu that the clip was taken from a movie set.
The actor clarified that he was immersing himself in the setting to improve his performance in order to prepare for a role in which he had to play a mentally ill character.
“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.
Related story:Video: I don’t take hard drugs, only drink because of depression — Hanks Anuku
He emphasized that he was perfectly sane and denied rumors that he was ill and high on drugs.
“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 bemoaned the consequences of the video, saying it cost him money, friendships, and job offers.
“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.
“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.
