Actress Angel Unigwe’s mother takes legal action against Kanayo

Juliet Kings, mother and manager of teenage actress Angel Unigwe, has responded to allegations of unprofessional conduct and breach of contract that actor Kanayo O. Kanayo made against them.

Kanayo, in a video shared on his Instagram page on Friday, accused Kings of violating contracts and holding producers to ransom.

The 62-year-old actor revealed that he would stop any film production involving Unigwe and warned producers not to employ the teenage actress.

However, Unigwe, in a statement through his manager, who was also his mother, Mrs Kings, described Kanayo’s allegations as baseless falsehoods.

The Unigwe manager said his lawyers have been contacted and legal action has been initiated against Kanayo, demonstrating his unwavering determination to seek justice.

The statement read in part: “We wish to reiterate our support and firm stance against this unfair treatment and intimidation tactics. Angel’s health, safety and professional integrity remain our top priorities and we will not tolerate any attempts to intimidate or defame her. Angel’s filming hours have always been and continue to be twelve (12) hours per day, depending on the producer’s timing.

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“We would like to assure our friends and supporters that we have since taken legal action to address these defamatory statements as well as the threats against Miss Unigwe’s safety and we fully intend to follow the process to a logical conclusion. We are also exploring further legal action to ensure accountability and justice in this matter as we will not be intimidated in any way.”

Unigwe’s mother called on security agencies and organizations to protect her and her daughter from assault, thuggery and vandalism, as well as ensure their safety and maintain the integrity of the film industry.

“We urge the public to ignore the baseless falsehoods and support us in opposing this new but not uncommon act of cyberbullying and harassment. We must unite against this type of injustice and ensure a safe and respectful work environment for all industry professionals,” he added.

cyberbullying

Unigwe’s manager described Kanayo’s statements and threats as cyberbullying, adding that her (Kanayo’s) actions have caused emotional distress to her and Angel.

Kings further highlighted that Kanayo’s threats and accusations reflect a broader issue of gender oppression, noting that she and Unigwe have faced derogatory and defamatory comments.

She said: “Because we stood firm and insisted on compliance with the terms of the agreement that all parties had freely entered into. It is disheartening to see such behavior in an industry that should be based on mutual respect and professionalism and even more shocking from a person we hold in high regard and consider an industry veteran.

“To clarify, there has never been any previous problem between Angel, myself and Mr. Kanayo. I have been a fan of Mr. Kanayo for a long time, which makes the defamatory video of him shocking and hurtful. His actions have hurt us deeply, as we always held him in high esteem.”

Unigwe’s manager reiterated his support and firm stance against unfair treatment and bullying, emphasizing that Ms Unigwe’s health, safety and professional integrity are top priorities and that any attempt to intimidate or defame her will not be tolerated. .

Contrary to Kanayo’s claims, Mrs Kings confirmed that Unigwe’s filming hours have always been twelve hours a day, depending on the producer’s schedule.

Contract

Ms. Kings said her daughter considers the terms of any contract she enters into to be sacred and is fully committed to fulfilling all legal obligations that require them.

Unigwe’s mother stated that her daughter and Kanayo agreed that she would film for three days and finish acting at 9:00 pm every day.

“We want to assure the public that we have done no such thing and that we are deeply hurt by these baseless accusations. As background to the events leading up to this, between June 17, 2024 and June 19, 2024, Miss Unigwe participated in a film project on clear and agreed terms, the most important being a daily 9 o’clock completion time. pm, despite our concerns about the feasibility of filming fifty-seven (57) scenes in three {3} days.

“We proceeded based on the assurances we received from Mr. Kanayo O. Kanayo and his director, Ndifreke Matthew, that the three-day period will be sufficient for the shoot and that the talent’s shooting time of 12 hours from 9:00 am until 9:00 am: 00 pm is acceptable to them, moreover, there will be no extension considering their previous commitment.

Ms. Kings noted that despite the final agreement at 9:00 pm, her daughter did an additional forty-five to fifty minutes of filming on the last day of production.

He noted that the minutes were added in a spirit of goodwill and mutual understanding between them, Kanayo, and the film director, Ndifreke Matthew.

“At the end of filming, we left the location without any protest from the director or the production manager, Cosmos Nwaihe, having fulfilled our obligations,” he said.

According to Unigwe’s manager, learning about Kanayo’s accusations was a hard blow, especially seeing and hearing them. He stated that Kanayo’s accusations and threats endanger Unigwe’s safety and rights.

“Miss Unigwe is a young and talented actress with a bright future ahead of her. It is heartbreaking to see her subjected to that treatment. We hope that by bringing this issue to light we can prevent others from experiencing similar injustices. We ask for her support and understanding as we go through this difficult time. Thank you for your support and understanding”.

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Kanayo responds

Responding to the legal action by Unigwe’s mother, Kanayo told PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday that he has not received any court order.

He said: “Straight to the point: I will not grant you an interview; I am not aware of any letter (court order). Don’t forget I’m a lawyer so I’ll respond when she brings it up. I haven’t received anything, but I’m waiting. I want to finish it the moment she brings it.”