26th June, 2024
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Angel Unigwe has refuted the claim by the veteran actor Kanayo O Kanayo that she breached their contract together with the help of her mother.
Kanayo O Kanayo had earlier called out the teen actress for not fulfilling a contract she signed with him for a production she got hired for.
He also claimed Unigwe’s mum is known for breaching acting contracts by prematurely taking her daughter away from sets.
An irate Kanayo, in a monologue, threatened to disrupt any movie production involving the Unigwe as a result.
He cited a set where the teen actress was taken away at 9 pm when the set was contractually meant to close at midnight.
Kanayo said his decision to disrupt film productions involving Unigwe is to “save and protect” Nigeria’s film industry.
But in a statement, Juliet Kings, Unigwe’s manager, said Kanayo’s allegations of contract breach are “false and slanderous”.
The manager clarified that the actress left the set after performing her duty as her agreement with the filmmaker was for a 9 pm wrap-up.
“First, we wish to state categorically and for the public record that, as professionals, we hold sacred the terms of any contract we enter into and we are fully committed to performing all lawful obligations required of us under such contracts and as such,” the manager said.
“We vehemently deny the false accusations and slanderous statements contained in Mr. Kanayo’s video. We want to assure the public that we have done no such thing and are deeply hurt by these unfounded allegations.
“Between the 17th of June 2024 and the 19th of June 2024, Miss Unigwe participated in a film project under clear and agreed terms, most important of all being a daily wrap time of 9 pm.
“Despite our concerns about the feasibility of filming 57 scenes in 3 days, we proceeded based on the assurances we received from [him] and his director Ndifreke Matthew that the three-day period would be sufficient for shooting.
“[We agreed] that the talent’s shooting time of 12 hours starting from 9 am to 9 pm is acceptable to them. Moreso, there will be no extension considering her prior engagement.
“On the final day, despite the agreed terms regarding the wrap-up time of 9 pm, we accommodated an additional 45-50 minutes of filming beyond the agreed time out of the spirit of goodwill and understanding that had existed between us, Mr. Kanayo, and the film director.
“Upon completion of the shoot, we left the location without protest from the director or the production manager Cosmos Nwaihe, having performed our obligations.”
Kings said Kanayo’s claims amount to “cyberbullying” and “gender-based oppression” that have caused the actress “emotional distress”.
Stating that legal action has been taken, the manager called on security agencies to intervene in the matter and guarantee Unigwe’s safety.