Nollywood veteran actor, Hanks Anuku has shared a heart-wrenching account of how he was abandoned and unfairly judged at his lowest point following a misconceived viral video.
Recall that some months back, a viral video of Hanks Anuku wandering the streets in tattered clothing got Netizens talking and many simply concluded that he was having a mental breakdown.
During a recent conversation with Lucky Udu, a supporter of those struggling with depression, Hanks Anuku shared how false rumours of him being addicted to hard drugs and losing his sanity, sparked by a video of him wandering the streets, deeply impacted his life.
Hanks clarified that the videos depicting him wandering the streets were part of his preparation for a movie role in which he portrayed a character with mental health challenges.
He criticized those who filmed him without considering the context, accusing them of spreading unfounded rumours that significantly harmed his public image.
Despite his assurances that nothing was wrong, his family, including his twin brother and wife, chose to believe the damaging rumours of drug addiction, leaving him feeling isolated and hopeless.
Hanks further recounted the distressing experience of being stigmatized by the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), with his colleagues in the movie industry abruptly ceasing communication and job offers.
Despite these challenges, Anuku stated that his resilience and unshakable faith in God helped him endure the difficult times. He now finds solace in his gradual recovery, slowly but surely regaining his footing in both his personal and professional life.
He said,
“That there was trying to get myself into character for a role that I was going to play; mad man role, someone who isn’t in his correct senses or frame of mind. I had to go naturally and visited the enviromnet to see how it’d play.
Speaking of the implications of the video, he said
“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.”
See the video below
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