Veteran Nollywood actor Hanks Anuku has finally broken his silence on the challenges he faced in the movie industry and his personal life. In a candid interview with fellow actor Emma Labista on the podcast Nollywood Hardcore, Anuku revealed details about his experiences, including alleged betrayal, blackmail, and the struggles in his past marriage.
Hanks Anuku, widely recognized for his roles as a villain in Nollywood classics, did not hold back when discussing the challenges he faced in the industry. According to him, the industry was rife with envy, greed, and even diabolism.
“There was a bit of diabolism in the industry. Some people were diabolical, people were envious and jealous of my shine. I was blackmailed,” he disclosed in a snippet of the interview.
Over the years, Anuku has starred in several Nollywood hits, including Heartless Heart, Virgin’s Heart, The Captor, King of the Town, Last Kobo, and Stubborn Billionaires. However, despite his success, he believes some of his colleagues sought to undermine him out of jealousy.
Beyond his career, Anuku also opened up about the struggles in his personal life, particularly his failed marriage. He revealed that his union with his ex-wife from Asaba left him deeply traumatized, making him hesitant about marrying another Nigerian woman.
“My marriage failed because we were not compatible. It was a wrong marriage. She is not the mother of my kids, but she had a stepdaughter from a previous relationship. I have been divorced for more than 10 years,” he shared.
He explained that his marriage fell apart due to constant financial demands from his ex-wife and her disapproval of his acting career. According to Anuku, she became jealous of the attention he received from women in the industry and even asked him to quit acting a request he could not comply with.
Anuku also admitted that he finds himself more compatible with Caucasian women, having formed deep connections with them during his time abroad.
“I don’t want to get married to any Nigerian woman because I went through a lot of psychological trauma. I never expected to be separated from my wife, and it hurt me, but I had to move on.
“When I was overseas, I never dated any colored woman. Blonde women are my specs. They never bothered me until I came to Nigeria,” he stated.
Despite his reservations about marriage, Anuku does have two children with another woman, though he clarified that he does not see her as a potential life partner.
“The mother of my kids is not the kind of woman I want to get married to. We are just friends. She has two kids for me, but that doesn’t mean I have to marry her. I want to be in love, not just infatuated. Agape love, the greatest form of love, is what I want in any woman I’m going to get married to.”
By Ezinne Okorie.
