Actor Hanks Anuku has revealed that blackmail from envious colleagues derailed his career, forcing him out of Nollywood for years.
His revelation comes nearly a year after he addressed a viral video that falsely depicted him as mentally unstable, a claim he says deeply affected his career and left him traumatized.
In 2022, a clip showing him in an unstable state surfaced on social media, leading to widespread speculation.
However, in a an interview on Nollywood Hardcore, the 64-year-old stated that the footage was taken out of context and used against him.
“We must always keep space for falling and standing up again. In this industry, there are so many staircases that are not well-built. Even if you try to get up, someone out there will try to bring you down with diabolism.
“In the industry, some people were diabolical, envious, and jealous of my shine. I was blackmailed, and I don’t know what I did to them. That set me back for a couple of years,” he said.
The Broad Daylight star alleged that the viral video, which depicted him as mentally ill, was taken from a movie set and manipulated to tarnish his image.
“They used a clip taken from a movie set to drag me down, claiming I was mad, sick, and all sorts of lies. I was knocked out for years without a job. Directors and others in the industry backbit me and talked about things I knew nothing about.
“After being left out for years without a job, I travelled to Ghana. I worked for the former president, Nana Akufo-Addo, for a couple of years. I campaigned for him, and he won.
“I was with him before I came back to Nigeria, so I stayed in Nigeria until COVID-19 came in. I was about to return to Ghana to pick up my passport, but COVID-19 devastated me.”
Hanks, known for his iconic villainous roles, also criticized the hypocrisy within Nollywood, stating that many of his colleagues lacked exposure and professionalism.
“I was never sick anyway, but the envy in the industry is a terrible thing. In today’s industry, there are a lot more hypocrites.
“They don’t even learn or expose themselves, so they bring in a local way of life. When you speak to them, they seem not to understand.”
Explaining the viral video, the Delta-born actor insisted he was merely preparing for a role.
“I was trying to get into the role. If I have to play a mad person, I have to go out there to figure out how to master it. I have to go where mad people are, see them, and watch them so people don’t know what I’m doing.
“I was trying to get into the mood of being that insane person they needed me to play. I don’t even know who was recording me. It was early in the morning—I just wanted to get the feeling. I’m not a madman, but if you give me that role, I will go all the way, one hundred per cent, to master it.”
When the video surfaced online, Anuku’s associate and friend, Nonso Ofole, dismissed claims of mental illness, stating that the actor was in good health. Anuku himself later denied the allegations, emphasizing that he was fine and even hinting at political ambitions.
An alumnus of Auchi Polytechnic, the actor has featured in numerous films, including Formidable Force, Bitter Honey, The Captor, Men on Hard Way, Fools on the Run, Desperate Ambition, My Love, Wanted Alive, and Rambo.
