Actor Bucci Franklin Opens Up on Dark Childhood Battle: “My Dad Left, I Turned to Drugs”

• Actor Bucci Franklin opened up about the deep emotional scar left behind after his father abandoned the family
• The actor admitted that the void created by his father’s exit led him into a "messy" lifestyle where he eventually turned to drugs to numb the pain
• Bucci credits his total transformation and current career success to the unwavering resilience of his mother

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Nollywood actor Bucci Franklin has opened up about how abandonment pushed him into drugs at a young age.

The actor, who recently won the best supporting actor at AMVCA 2026, disclosed this during a candid interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo.

According to Franklin, his father walked away from the family while he was still a child, forcing his mother to carry the burden of raising him alone.

“I was a hot mess as a child. My dad abandoned me. My mom raised me alone, and I turned to drugs,” the actor said during the interview.

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The actor explained that the absence of a father figure created confusion and emotional emptiness in his early years.

While many people see successful celebrities as individuals who had life figured out from the beginning, Franklin’s story painted a completely different picture.

He revealed that growing up without proper guidance affected his choices and behaviour as a young boy, eventually leading him into substance abuse.

The actor did not go into graphic details about his addiction journey, but he admitted it was one of the darkest phases of his life.

Despite the struggles, Franklin said his mother refused to give up on him.

He credited his mother for helping him overcome addiction and rebuild his life.

According to him, her sacrifices, prayers, and persistence became the turning point that changed everything.

The actor praised single mothers raising children alone, noting that the responsibility comes with emotional and financial pressure that many people rarely understand.

He also emphasized that male children, especially, need father figures in their lives.

Watch the interview here:

Reactions trail Bucci Franklin's confession

Legit.ng compiled the reactions of social media users below:

@TillerAfrikana stated:

"A lot of people misinterpreting this when all he was trying to say was not blaming his mum but rather trying to point out the importance of the both parents in raising a child. He even said it. It’s not easy being a single parent. Like can’t we all read?"

@bimbolaroyale wrote:

"He would rather blame the woman that raised him alone than be accountable for his wrong choices. For someone who gave him life, love, care, attention and, stability, the least he could have done is to appreciate her for being the parent that stayed,"

Nigerian women aren't loved - Franklin

Legit.ng earlier reported that Bucci Franklin had a few words to get off his chest, and it appears to have caused a buzz on social media.

The Rattlesnake star in one of his Instastory posts opined that Nigerian women aren't loved enough, as he advised men to do better.

While some people - mostly ladies - agreed with him, others felt his take was false, as most Nigerian women define love by how much a man can spend on them.