Veteran Nollywood actress Eucharia Anunobi has publicly recounted the significant public backlash she encountered decades ago for her role in the 1994 film Glamour Girls 2, stating that many audiences failed to distinguish between her character and her personal identity.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, Anunobi explained that her portrayal of Anita, a seductive and promiscuous escort, led to persistent negative associations. She revealed that the character, a student who seduces a wealthy married man, resulted in her being labelled with derogatory terms such as “husband snatcher” and “Mammy Water” by segments of the public.
“I faced a lot of backlash for my role in Glamour Girls 2,” Anunobi stated. “At that time, the Nigerian populace pretended that they didn’t watch such movies. So, a lot of people were labelling me. They called me Sharon Stone, Mammy Water, Husband Snatcher.” She added that the perception was so pervasive that some women would physically hold onto their partners when she was in public.
Anunobi clarified that her performance was a professional interpretation of a scripted role. “I can’t deny that I am alluring, because if I deny myself that means I am denying God,” she said, addressing the typecasting. “Well, I was just acting a script.” She also disclosed that she received additional compensation for a notable bathtub scene filmed with co-star Zack Orji.
This reflection offers a window into the societal attitudes towards Nollywood actors, particularly women, in the industry’s earlier years, where on-screen roles often invited intense personal scrutiny and moral judgement from the public. Anunobi’s experience highlights the historical challenge of separating an actor’s craft from their private life within a conservative social landscape.
Her comments, emerging years after the film’s release, underscore a shift towards more open discussions about the pressures faced by performers. They also reaffirm the lasting impact of iconic, boundary-pushing roles in shaping both an actor’s career and the cultural conversation around Nigerian cinema. Anunobi has continued to work consistently in film and television, building a career that extends far beyond the controversy of a single, decades-old role.
