Nollywood actor Hanks Anuku has been declared mentally sound by his manager, Moses Allen, following a viral video that sparked concern about the actor’s wellbeing.
Newsunplug reports that the clip showed Anuku in Wuse 2, Abuja, dressed in jeans, a black top, and sneakers. In the footage, he was seen lying near a roadside, speaking to himself while holding a disposable cup.
The video quickly circulated online, prompting widespread reactions from social media users who questioned his mental health.
Responding to the growing concerns in an interview with Premium Times, Allen dismissed the speculation, insisting that people had misinterpreted what they saw. He described Anuku as an expressive actor whose behaviour can sometimes be misunderstood as unusual.
According to him, “So I understand you guys might have seen a video and then care to ask. It’s better to ask than to start making presumptions like other people used to do every time. You see, Hanks is a character; he’s an actor. So most of what he does is in a different world of his own.”
He further explained that the actor often immerses himself in creative expression, which may appear strange to outsiders. “He does those things, people mistake it for madness or craziness. No, an artist is actually never really normal… he operates in a creative realm,” Allen added.
The manager also defended Anuku’s conduct in the viral clip, stressing that there was nothing alarming about it. “What is wrong with someone sitting down by the grass and talking to himself? He wasn’t naked, he wasn’t abusing anybody… maybe he was rehearsing or imagining a scenario,” he said.
Allen maintained that the actor is stable and responsible, noting that he has a family and children. He added that those who saw the video were quick to judge without context.
He concluded by reaffirming that the veteran actor is in good mental health, saying Hanks Anuku is “sound and has never been in a better mental state than now,” while describing him as a dedicated artist whose behaviour is often shaped by his craft rather than instability.